FUZHOU, China, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- A Chinese man said he caught a 6-pound "rat the size of a cat" by its 12-inch tail in a residential area of the city of Fuzhou.
The man, identified only as Xian, said he caught the gargantuan rodent after seeing a group of people crowding around it, The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.
Xian said he grabbed the rat, which he speculated might be a rare species or other valuable specimen, by its tail and the scruff of its neck.
"I did it, I caught a rat the size of a cat," he said before shoving the animal into a bag.
Fuzhou's local forestry unit said photographs indicate the large animal was a bamboo rat, but a close examination would be required for an official identification.
Sumatra bamboo rats can grow up to 30 inches long, including their tails, and can weigh as much as eight pounds, The Telegraph said.
The man, identified only as Xian, said he caught the gargantuan rodent after seeing a group of people crowding around it, The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.
Xian said he grabbed the rat, which he speculated might be a rare species or other valuable specimen, by its tail and the scruff of its neck.
"I did it, I caught a rat the size of a cat," he said before shoving the animal into a bag.
Fuzhou's local forestry unit said photographs indicate the large animal was a bamboo rat, but a close examination would be required for an official identification.
Sumatra bamboo rats can grow up to 30 inches long, including their tails, and can weigh as much as eight pounds, The Telegraph said.
