Escaped capybara ‘probably living her best life’

Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World Two capybaras cuddle together on a floor of hayHoo Zoo and Dinosaur World

Cinnamon and her brother Churro are popular animals at Hoo Zoo in Telford

The search for an escaped capybara which fled a zoo four days ago is continuing “around the clock”.

Cinnamon fled her habitat at Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World in Telford on Friday and entered woodlands within the zoo grounds.

The last sighting of her was on Saturday, after she managed to get beyond the perimeter fence.

Zoo owner Will Dorrell said he believes Cinnamon has made it to the Humber Brook river, near the attraction’s northern boundary, where “she’s probably living her best life”.

Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World A young capybara standing on the groundHoo Zoo and Dinosaur World

A younger Cinnamon, who lives at Hoo Zoo with her parents and brother

He said Cinnamon was not at imminent risk but they wanted to know where she was so they could bring her back to the zoo and reunite her with her family.

“Right opposite us there’s loads of marshland and riverways, that’s why we strongly suspect that she’s there,” he said.

“In the wild they’re fantastic swimmers and they’ll live on river banks, then whenever they feel threatened they just run into the water and can stay in there for hours at a time.”

“We’re working round the clock at the moment trying to find her,” he said.

Cinnamon’s parents and twin brother. The three are in an enclosure near some bushes

Cinnamon’s parents and twin brother were wandering around the zoo on Tuesday

Capybaras are native to South America and are the largest living rodents in the world.

Cinnamon was born at the zoo alongside brother Churro, and is now around one year old.

Mr Dorrell said the pair “stuck together” but that Churro was doing fine as their parents still live with them.

“But obviously it would be nice to reunite them,” he said.

Will Dorrell wearing a grey hoodie with the zoo's logo stands in an area of the zoo with grass and trees behind him. He has short dark hair and a beard

Will Dorrell said he thought Cinnamon was “probably living her best life”

Cinnamon has not been spotted since Saturday, where she was seen on Humber Lane.

She was also spotted on Friday night via the zoo’s trail cameras and almost went back to her enclosure, but was not close enough for keepers to do anything.

Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World An adult capybara lies on grass next to a fence, with her two babies sat unde her neckHoo Zoo and Dinosaur World

Baby Cinnamon and Churro with their mother at the family-owned zoo

The public have been urged to report sightings to the zoo, but not to approach her in fear of scaring her and driving her further way.

“She’s very very tame, she wouldn’t hurt anyone, she’s just very likely to be timid,” Mr Dorrell said.

“If it goes on [much] longer, she’s not at imminent risk. She can very comfortably survive the weather, even though they prefer it a bit warmer, and locally there’s loads of food and habitat.”

Mr Dorrell also thanked people for their support and said a volunteer was bringing out a thermal drone on Tuesday to help with the search.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to get a bit of an idea then,” he said.

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