Capybara found safe after brief escape from Las Vegas aquarium

A capybara is safe and sound after it briefly escaped from its home at SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium.

Clark County Animal Control got a call about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday from SeaQuest at the Boulevard Mall, 3528 S. Maryland Parkway, to report that one of their four capybaras had escaped while being transported to the veterinarian, county spokesman Dan Kulin said.

Kulin said the capybara was recaptured shortly afterward in a Target parking lot at 4001 S. Maryland Parkway, about two blocks south of the mall.

The county tweeted out a video of the animal being coaxed out from beneath a parked car. The Twitter post said the capybara was captured in the Boulevard Mall parking lot, but Kulin said that location was incorrect.

Capybaras are the largest rodents on the planet and are native to South America. According to the San Diego Zoo, the semiaquatic capybara stands about 2 feet tall at the shoulder and is built “somewhat like a barrel with legs.” It has long shaggy hair, a face like a beaver, no tail and slightly webbed feet.

Interesting moment in Las #Vegas for #ClarkCounty Animal Control. A capybara (largest rodent in the world) got loose while being transported to a veterinarian. Here is video of it being captured in the Boulevard Mall parking lot. The animal is owned by the SeaQuest Aquarium. pic.twitter.com/7UEE8W6LlV

— Clark County Nevada (@ClarkCountyNV) October 23, 2018

SeaQuest came under fire last year after former employees alleged that hundreds of animals at the aquarium died from neglect. The aquarium opened in December 2016.

Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0365. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter.