‘Doubao, come home’: Chinese netizens react with amusement, concern over Jiangsu zoo’s runaway capybara
A notice shared by officials at a zoo in Jiangsu province has gone viral on Sina Weibo, sparking amusement, criticism as well as concern from Chinese netizens.
A photo of zookeepers capturing Duoduo, one of the three capybaras that escaped from a zoo in China's Jiangsu province in April. (Photo: Weibo/Yangzhou Zhuyuwan Scenic Area)
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SINGAPORE: It’s the world’s largest rodent species, and one has gone missing from a Chinese zoo.
An adult female capybara named Doubao is “currently still at large”, read a notice shared by zoo officials from Zhuyuwan Park on the Sina Weibo microblogging site on Sunday (May 11).
The zoo’s online plea has attracted both amusement and concern from Chinese netizens on the site, with a thread about the capybara’s escape, featuring shared links and comments, garnering more than 3.7 million views.
“Doubao was suspected to have escaped with her family in the early hours of Apr 3,” the zoo said, adding that her brothers Bazong and Duoduo have since been “apprehended according to the law”.
“Investigations show that the suspect (Doubao) is unarmed and not aggressive. We appeal to citizens and tourists not to worry,” the zoo said, adding that anyone with information related to the missing capybara would be rewarded with a free park entrance ticket.
Social media users expressed concern for the missing giant rodent, with some also questioning the zoo’s efforts and “stingy” reward for finding Doubao.
“Isn’t it dangerous for Doubao to be roaming outside,” said one user.
“It’s currently the turn of spring and summer. With suitable temperatures and abundant water plants, there is no need to worry about Doubao’s survival,” the zoo said in response.
“Doubao, your mother is calling you back for dinner. Steamed carrot buns are waiting for you,” wrote a Weibo user named Xiaodao.
Another Weibo user with the handle XinGo123 suggested that zookeepers install a GPS device on the other capybaras and send them out to look for Doubao.
However, some users on Xiaohongshu have said the reward of one entrance ticket to the zoo was “stingy”.
“At least an annual pass, one entrance ticket is so stingy,” one user on Xiaohongshu said.
Another user, momo, wrote: “Gosh, you guys went viral on Douyin lol. They are saying (the zoo) is too stingy.”
“We are not the most stingy zoo on the internet because we may increase the reward in the future,” the zoo said in response to online criticism, adding that it has “never been ambiguous” when it comes to its living conditions for its animals.
Safety issues, which can also be costly, are also taken seriously, officials said.
With their chill demeanours and cute appearances, capybaras have become wildly popular on both Chinese and global social media platforms - often depicted in memes and other online content on apps like TikTok, Xiaohongshu and Instagram.
In countries like Thailand, Japan and China, cafes dedicated to capybaras have also become popular - offering capybara-themed food and products as well as chances for diners to interact with the giant rodents for a fee.
Doubao, Bazong and Duoduo escaped their enclosure in the early hours of Apr 3, by smashing against its wooden windows with their bodies, the zoo said.
Bazong and Duoduo have since been recaptured.
Duoduo was found inside one of the park’s canals on Apr 30 and had lost nearly 2kg, keepers said, adding that it “played hide and seek”, thanks to its diving and swimming skills.
“We were all so distressed,” they added.
The capybara enclosure has been reinforced with protective nets following the trio’s escape, the zoo said.
In a report on Sunday, Chinese state broadcaster CGTN said zookeepers had discovered capybara droppings in a nearby village, suggesting that an animal was in the area.
In the comments section of its Xiaohongshu account, the zoo said it looked forward to “Doubao coming home”.
“Hopefully Doubao is safe, and let there be no accidents,” one user on Xiaohongshu wrote.
