An Australian woman helped catch a crocodile

In Australia, a crocodile catcher asked passersby to help subdue a small predator. A woman volunteered.

An Australian woman helped catch a crocodile while heading to school with her children.

Melody Vahipeihana stopped by the side of the road to photograph a freshwater crocodile, approximately five feet long, that had slithered into a puddle near a store after the rainy season. The catcher, who arrived on the scene, pulled the animal out of the water with a rope and asked for help subduing it. Vahipeihana volunteered to help: she jumped on the reptile's back and briefly wrestled with it when it began twitching its head. "I just hoped I had a tight enough grip on the crocodile that it wouldn't turn around and bite my arm," the woman said. The incident was captured on video.

The reptile, previously spotted by a man mowing his lawn, was restrained and taken away from the highway and residential areas. Experts note that during the rainy season, crocodiles often travel long distances in search of food and mates.