Capybaras on the loose from Toronto zoo

A capybara or Hydrochoerus Hydrochaeris, a semi-aquatic and the biggest rodent of the world, waits in Hato Pinero, 370 km (229 miles) west of [Caracas], May 3, 2005. [Venezuela's best-known eco-tourism reserve and cattle ranch is fighting for its survival against Venezuelan government land reform. The Hato Pinero, a private 200,000-acre (80,000 hectare) property was declared as being public land and subject to confiscation after President Hugo Chavez's government made it a target for takeover to redistribute rural land to the poor.] - RTXNG64 (Reuters, File)

Two capybaras escaped from a Toronto zoo on Tuesday, leading to a community-wide search, Global News reports.

Crews spotted one of the canine-sized rodents making a nighttime return to its enclosure but failed to capture it.

Zookeepers at Toronto’s 399-acre High Park Zoo have described the animals, which look like guinea pigs, as “quite shy," The Guardian adds.

Officials have warned people who live in the area not to approach the rogue pair, one male and one female. The zoo plans to launch an investigation once the animals are finally caught.

“We will obviously be reviewing in detail what happened and if protocols or procedures need to be updated as a result of this — if, in fact, that’s what happened,” Parks Department Spokeswoman Megan Price told local media.

Capybara are herbivorous and indigenous to South America and can weigh up to 150 pounds, making them the world’s largest rodents.