Capybara capturing team say public hampering efforts to trap elusive rodents

CTV Toronto: Capybaras spotted again The escaped High Park Zoo capybaras have made yet another public appearance sitting on a nearby water’s edge.

A team of volunteer capybara trappers has formed with the sole goal of capturing the elusive rodents – nicknamed Bonnie and Clyde – who've been on the loose in Toronto for more than two weeks.

But one thing continues to get in the way of the non-lethal traps set up throughout High Park and the furry runaways: the public.

"We are on the verge of capturing her, but we're constantly hampered by people taking selfies with the traps, Snapchat videos," Ben Lovatt of the volunteer group told CTV News Channel on Thursday. "It's all great and well to be excited. But if you're standing next to your trap yelling into your phone, chances are nothing is going to run into it."

Lovatt said the team had its closest encounter with the female capybara, Bonnie, late Wednesday night, when the critter was lured into a trap.

"But it turns out she was just too big for it," Lovatt said. "She backed herself out and hopped back into the water."

Wednesday's sighting was one several capybara sightings over the last few days.

"We were tracking her swimming across the pond (when) people started yelling, 'Hey there she is,' at which point she fled," Lovatt said.

He said at another point, a photographer's flash spooked the rodent, and she nearly ran out of the park and onto a busy roadway.

Lovatt said High Park staff have been successfully tracking the male rodent, named Clyde, but Bonnie has been more elusive.

The two capybaras escaped their enclosure at the High Park Zoo late last month, and managed to elude capture ever since.

The creatures, classified as the largest rodents in the world, are native to South America.

Lovatt said High Park provides a good environment for the capybaras during the warmer months.