A stray estuarine crocodile shocked people at the popular Teluk Chempedak beach here Monday night.
The three-metre-long reptile, weighing about 200 kg, was promptly caught by eight personnel of the Civil Defence Department from Kuantan after they were summoned at 8 pm.
Kuantan Civil Defence assistant officer Mohamad Irwanis Seni said the crocodile was handed over to the Pahang Wildlife and National Parks Department at midnight.
Pahang Wildlife and National Parks Director Khairiah Mohd Shariff said the animal was released into its natural habitat at 1.30 am Tuesday.
She said the crocodile had most probably strayed from its natural habitat along the Kuantan River during high tide and was unable to return when the tide ebbed.
She also said that the Teluk Chempedak beach was not a playground of crocodiles and the people should not fear going there.