World's riskiest reward for removing tyre from crocodile's neck in Indonesia

This is the crocodile in Indonesia with a cash reward on its head - for anyone who can remove a tyre stuck around its neck.

The endangered Siamese crocodile was first seen in 2016 with the rubber part from a Vespa scooter stuck on its body in Palu, in Central Sulawesi.

Wildlife officials feared that the reptile could keep growing and eventually be strangled by the item, which is too strong to stretch.

Locals have been trying to remove the tyre ever since without success. Officials have tried luring the beast out of the river with chicken but it has refused.

The province's governor has now offered a cash reward from his own pocket for anyone who can successfully remove the tyre without harming the croc.

Hasmuni Hasmar, head of the Central Sulawesi Natural Resources Conservation Agency, refused to say how much the sum would be.

But he urged amateurs to stay and and insisted that only professional animal handlers should attempt. The environment chief said: ''We're asking the general public not to get close to the crocodile or disturb its habitat.''

Speaking in 2018, Mr Mulyadi, an official with Indonesia Conservation Board, said: 'We have made a crocodile trap, but cannot use it because we lack technical force capable of controlling wild crocodiles.

''We have tried to lure it with chicken or meat but it never touches it.

''This crocodile has grown to four meters in length and its head is about 40 centimetres long.

''Its body is getting bigger and the tyre which should be 14 inches, is stifling it.

''If the tyre is not removed immediately, it will strangle the crocodile because of its growing body.''

Authorities are also opposed to using a tranquillizer on the animal, fearing it will disappear back into the water before the drugs have taken effect.