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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Two men hoping to catch fish in Malaysia were stunned when they found a 4-meter (13-feet) crocodile tangled in their net, officials said Thursday.
The amateur fishermen summoned firefighters to help haul the reptile out of the water at a popular coastal fishing area in southern Johor Bahru city Monday, said Abdul Hamid Abdullah, head of operations at the city's fire department.
"They tried to catch fish but they got a crocodile," Abdul Hamid said.
Officials were uncertain about how the crocodile found its way into the sea, since the creatures are generally believed to inhabit only the city's freshwater rivers.
Firefighters took 20 minutes to pull the crocodile out with ropes.
"It was very big. We were surprised," firefighter C. Kesavan said.
"In my lifetime, this is the first time I have seen a crocodile in saltwater."
The officials did not know specifically what type of crocodile it was, but all crocodile species are protected under Malaysia's wildlife laws. The reptile was sent to a crocodile farm.
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