The hunt could soon be over
Cinnamon, the fugitive Capybara who has captured the entire attention of the UK, has been spotted in the wild as zookeepers now try to catch the rodent on the run.
The one-year-old Capybara escaped from Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World in Telford, Shropshire, on Saturday with a large search party soon tracing her steps.
Now, it has been reported that the Capybara has been located during an overnight search in the area around the zoo using a drone and an infrared camera.
The Zoo’s owner, Will Dorrell suggested she was probably “living her best life”, but said they would try bring her in tonight.
Dorrell added: “Last night we saw her on a drone less than 200 metres from her home, so we’re hoping that through the use of live traps and a search party this evening we can get her back.
“When we saw her on the drone she was looking very good, she was sat there very happily munching on grass.”
The area around the zoo provides a paradise for Capybaras with streams for swimming in as well as grass for munching on.
Dorrell said: “She’s going to be living her best live out there which is making our lives a bit difficult getting enticing her back.
“We’ve put lots of live traps down which are basically cages with a door at the back that drops down when she walks in so we can bring her back with the least amount of stress.
“It would be hugely relieving [to have her back], we’ve obviously missed her and it’s been quite a stressful period for all the keepers here, everyone was very attached to Cinnamon before this so we want to get her back as soon as possible.”
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“We’d like to thank everybody for all their support and help and hopefully continued support if we don’t find her over the next 24 hours or 48 hours or so.
“If you do happen to come across her, leave her where she is and give us a ring.”
Following on from the giant rodent’s escape from its enclosure the zoo released a statement.
It said: “On Saturday, September 14, our beloved Capybara, Cinnamon, escaped from her habitat and entered the woodlands within the zoo grounds.
“On Saturday evening she managed to get beyond the zoo’s perimeter fence and was spotted on a nearby road.
“Although Capybara are generally friendly and inquisitive animals, the animal should not be approached as it could become unpredictable if alarmed or cornered.”
They went on to say that rodent, which is native to South America, has a ‘fantastic bond’ with her keepers and that she could likely be encouraged back to her habitat with no physical intervention.
He said Cinnamon had escaped when keepers entered the capybara enclosure to mow the paddock, as she was hidden in long grass near the gate.
Dorrell said: “Our two young capybara here are always trying to work out a different way of trying to cause us headaches.
“They’re extremely intelligent which a lot of people might not necessarily appreciate.
“She seemed to know what we were going to do and was waiting there ready for that gate to be opened.”
A mass search of the Humber Brook area is scheduled to take place on Tuesday evening with help from a thermal camera drone operator and keepers from the zoo.
Capybara, which are a part of the Cavy family along with Guinea Pigs, can grow up to four foot long and 24 inches tall, are sociable creatures who enjoy swimming.
Earlier this year, Japan opened a new Capybara Café in Tokyo as tribute to the South American animal.
