Large Rodent Escapes Briefly At National Zoo
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A cat-sized rodent called an agouti chewed his way out of an enclosure at the National Zoo, but officials say he was quickly captured.
Zoo officials say staffers discovered a hole Monday evening in the stainless-steel mesh of the outdoor enclosure that Macadamia, a male agouti, shares with two Geoffrey's marmosets. Staffers kept Macadamia in sight while herding him into a contained space within 30 minutes. He wasn't injured.
Officials believe Macadamia chewed through the mesh, but the hole has been patched and all animals are accounted for. Macadamia will stay inside the Small while keepers review the enclosure.
Macadamia arrived at the zoo a few months ago and hasn't yet met his mate, Hazelnut.
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