A giant 17-foot-long crocodile, weighing nearly a ton, was hoisted out of a canal in Sri Lanka. Villagers and local police helped pull the crocodile out of the canal and placed it back in the river without injury. Screen capture/New York Post/AOL

MATARA, Sri Lanka, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Villagers and wildlife officials in Sri Lanka helped rescue a massive 17-foot crocodile that had become stuck in a canal.

The crocodile had become stuck in a canal leading out of the Nilwala river, and was hoisted out and captured in Matura, Sri Lanka, according to the BBC.


Local media said the crocodile weighed about a ton and had become stuck in the canal while searching for food when heavy rains caused the water to rise, NBC News reported.

Police worked with local villagers to hoist the giant crocodile and released it back into the river without injury.