The skeletal remains of an animal found on the coast here has caused a stir among villagers at Kampung Pengkalan Sungai Udang in Telok Gong.Fishermen looking for worms for bait near Pulau Carey spotted the rotting carcass embedded in mud over a week ago, but parts of the remains were only taken to the village two days ago.
Arbain Salleh, who recovered the remains, said it was not an animal he had ever seen before.
"I’ve been fishing in these waters for more than 20 years but I never came across an animal like this," he said.
The 45-year-old fisherman said the animal could have been up to seven metres long, although he only managed to bring back bones measuring up to 1.5m.
"The rest is still rotting in the mud, but I will bring it up gradually, so that it can be identified," he said.
Arbain said there was speculation among the villagers that the remains were of a saltwater crocodile, but a pawang (medicine man) who specialised in catching crocodiles had discounted that possibility.
A fisheries officer in Port Klang was called in by villagers, but could not identify the animal.
"It’s like nothing I’ve seen before, but these are partial remains so I don’t want to speculate," he said.
The officer said an expert from the Fisheries Research Institute in Terengganu would have a look at the remains, and DNA samples would be taken to determine what it was.