Toronto

Capybaras on the loose! The chase is on after dog-size rodents escape High Park zoo

The chase is on as the city of Toronto races to track down two runaway capybaras. The dog-sized rodents broke out of their pens in High Park Zoo Tuesday morning and by the afternoon, already had not one, but two Twitter accounts dedicated to them.

Mayor John Tory has jokingly assigned a 'one-person task force' to track the pair down

Toronto's mayor John Tory has jokingly assigned a 'one-person task force' to track down two missing capybaras who escaped from High Park Zoo. (Martin Trainor/CBC)

The chase is on as the city of Toronto races to track down two runaway capybaras. The pair聽have already made a splash聽on social media.

The dog-sized聽rodents broke out of their pens in High Park Zoo Tuesday morning and by the afternoon,聽already had not one, but two Twitter accounts dedicated to them.

If we're to trust the Twitterverse, the two rodents have already seen their聽fair share of adventure...

And they might just be really dedicated Blue Jays fans, plotting their escape just聽in time for the game.聽

Either way, Toronto's mayor,聽John Tory,聽is determined to get the two herbivores back in their pens.聽

The mayor jokingly assigned a聽"one-person聽task force" Tuesday to "track down and safely return to High Park the capybaras that have apparently gone astray."聽

City councillor Gord聽Perks, who was offered the position,聽politely declined,聽too busy taking on the city's other furry foes.聽

The "Vorpal Bunnies" mention is likely a reference to the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog, a fictional character in the Monty Python and the Holy Grail film. And while there is the occasional wild rabbit聽spotted in city of Toronto, there are few killer bunnies on the loose.聽

Though technically classified as rodents, adult capybaras are closer in size to dogs. (City of Toronto)

As for capybaras, the rodents are native to South America and stand about two feet tall. The average one weighs about聽75 to 150 pounds.聽

Toronto police are urging the public to keep an eye out for the two creatures and say they should still be somewhere in the park.聽

The Toronto Zoo says its capybaras haven't joined in the escape.聽

High Park Zoo says one lone聽capybara is still safely in its聽pen, holding down the fort. It's聽unclear whether or not it's聽cooperating with police.聽