A giant rodent named Cinnamon is on the loose in Shropshire after escaping from her habitat in Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World.
The Telford-based zoo has asked the public to report any sightings and urged locals not to approach the Capybara.
They wrote: ‘On Friday, 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.
‘Unfortunately, we haven’t had any further sighting of Cinnamon since Saturday evening, despite having teams working around the clock to locate her. It is likely that Cinnamon is in the vicinity of the zoo, The Humbers and surrounding fields where there is ample food and plenty of ponds.
‘Although Capybara are generally friendly and inquisitive animals, the animal should not be approached as it could become unpredictable if alarmed or cornered.
‘Cinnamon has a fantastic bond with her keepers and it is likely that she can be encouraged back to her habitat with no physical intervention.’
Capybaras are a giant rodent native to South America. They’re considered very social animals and rely on each other for their well-being.
They can growup to 4 feet long and 24 inches tall, and weigh between 77 to 146 pounds. They’re fantastic swimmers, and can hold their breah for up to five minutes at a time.
Being social animals, Capybaras have gone viral online for their odd antics together. In 2016, a photo of 11 capybaras waiting out a rainstorm at the Nagasaki Bio Park, a zoo and botanical gardens in Japan went viral.
Japan is seemingly very fond of the giant rodents, having opened a new Capybara Café in Tokyo as a tribute to the South American animal.
If you’re hoping to see the cute animals in the UK, we’ve compiled a list of where you can spot them.
Where to see capybaras in their element in the UK
Want to hang out with the capybaras but don’t have the budget for a trip to Japan? There are a few places you can do so in the UK:
- Cotswold Wildlife Park, Oxfordshire
- Shepreth Wildlife Park, Hertfordshire
- Chew Valley Animal Park, Bristol
- Chester Zoo, Cheshire
- Drusillas Park, East Sussex
- Hobbledown Heath, London
- Jimmy’s Farm, Suffolk
- Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Doncaster
- Beale Park, Berkshire
- Dudley Zoo, West Midlands
- Newquay Zoo, Cornwall
- Blackpool Zoo, Lancashire
- Exmoor Zoo, North Devon
- Chessington Zoo, Surrey
- Cumbria Safari Zoo, Cumbria
- Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World, Telford (assuming Cinnamon makes a safe return)
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