Officials have finally captured the last member of a runaway capybara gang that escaped from a zoo in eastern China two months ago, according to a statement released on Tuesday.
The missing male animal, named “Doubao” – which means “Bean Bun” in Chinese – had escaped from an enclosure at the Yangzhou Zhuyuwan Scenic Area along with two other capybaras at the beginning of April.
Doubao managed to evade zoo staff for several weeks after his companions were caught.
“The runaway baby is finally home!” the zoo wrote in a social media post.
The capybara – a rodent roughly the size of a six-year-old child – walked into a humane trap on Tuesday morning, allowing zoo staff to safely return him to his enclosure.
Despite being on the run for two months, Doubao had actually gained weight, and his fur remained “shiny and soft,” according to the zoo.
“It seems he was living quite well out there!” the zoo added.
Capybaras, originally native to South America, have grown increasingly popular in zoos worldwide in recent years, and these semi-aquatic rodents have also gained significant popularity on the internet.
The zoo explained that the trio had orchestrated their escape in April when another capybara, Bazong – meaning “Big Shot” – broke through the fence.
Bazong was later found resting near a lake.
The second companion, Duoduo (meaning “Hide Hide”), was captured by around six to eight zoo staff after falling into a rubbish bin.
However, Doubao proved more difficult to catch, prompting the zoo to issue a humorous “wanted poster” in May, accusing him of leading a mass jailbreak.
At one point, officials even offered a reward: frozen fried rice, a carton of eggs, capybara-themed merchandise, and lifetime free entry to the zoo for anyone who provided his whereabouts.
A zoo representative repeatedly appealed for Doubao’s return in livestreamed videos, the Tuesday statement said.
