KUCHING: A fisherman from Kampung Bako was stunned to find a dead crocodile in his net on Thursday morning.

Hamka Anuar, 35, went to check his fishing net near the estuary of Sungai Bako, about 20 minutes away by boat from the village, and was surprised to find it so heavy.

"I was pleased at first because I thought I had caught a lot of fish. But when I started hauling up the net, I spotted a crocodile in it instead," he said.

The 3m-long reptile weighing about 200kg was believed to have drowned as it was caught in the net and could not surface to breathe.

Hamka said it took six men to haul the carcass to the boat terminal at the village, where it attracted the attention of tourists, who were waiting to board boats for the nearby Bako National Park.

One of them, 19-year-old Sydney Brown from Canada, said it was the first time she had seen a crocodile.

The carcass was handed over to Sarawak Forestry Corporation personnel at the terminal.

Hamka said this was the second time he had "caught" a crocodile.

"Two years ago, I found a smaller crocodile, about two metres long, in my net," he said.