A capybara’s escape from a zoo in Shropshire has captivated animal lovers across the globe. Cinnamon, a young capybara, made her way out of Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World via an accidentally open gate on Friday the 13th. After being spooked by a tractor mower, Cinnamon had initially escaped to a nearby area of long grass and woodland, but by the following night had made it past the zoo’s perimeter.
Zoo owners Will and Becky Dorrell and their staff worked tirelessly to locate Cinnamon. Their operation was complicated when her eventual location was identified in a zoo-owned conservation area, 200m beyond the zoo’s perimeter. Cinnamon’s capture was also a moment of great excitement and anxiety. Finally, rescuers waded into a pond to coax her into a cage before she was placed in her enclosure with her family – mum Chincha, dad Chimu and brother Churro.
After flirting with fame, Cinnamon is now a hit on social media, inspiring memes and merchandise such as teddies, magnets and clothing, and there are even rumours of a forthcoming children’s book. Will is delighted to see the zoo’s new star attraction so adored: “Every single story I’d see pop up on Facebook or everything else had that quote in it… people wanted a bit of light relief.”
With Cinnamon back on public display again, anyone visiting Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World will be among the first to see the smaller, springer spaniel-sized rodent, who celebrated her first birthday on 14 September. The zoo intends to make the most of the capybara’s renewed appeal by running a hunt for her pictures and other treats at her upcoming belated birthday party on 12 October
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