JOHOR BARU, MALAYSIA: Visitors strolling along Danga Bay were startled to spot a crocodile near the shore yesterday.

Firemen called in to catch the 2.5m-long reptile tried to lure it to land with a chicken.

It didn't work.

Twice, the crocodile came close to land but it just stayed near the edge of the water.

Johor Baru Fire and Rescue Department commanding officer C. Kesavan said that the firemen were only trained to catch crocodiles on land, not in water.

After two hours of trying, the firemen gave up and left the scene.

The crocodile is believed to have been swept by floodwaters into the Straits of Tebrau.