Hunt for the Zoo-gitives! Four raccoons escape Amazon World Zoo Park

by · Mail Online

A zoo has deployed tracker dogs and drones in a bid to recapture four racoons which have escaped.

The four animals managed to get out from their compound at Amazon World Zoo Park in the Isle of Wight on Friday morning.

Zoo keepers are now asking people to keep an eye out for them and reinforced that they are not dangerous.

Supervisor Rowena Welsh said: 'They are new here. Everyone is out searching and we have tracker dogs and drones looking for them.

'They are not dangerous and the protocol is for people to call us straight away and don't try to approach because they would be very frightened.

Four raccoons have escaped from an Isle of Wight zoo, as keepers launch an urgent appeal for people to find them
Amazon World Zoo Park, pictured, has deployed tracker dogs and drones in a bid to recapture the animals

'They are not dangerous and they would be more frightened of us than we would be of them.

The zoo also posted an appeal on social media saying: 'We need your help. Four female raccoons have escaped from their enclosure overnight. 

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'If you have a sighting please do not approach them, they are not normally aggressive but will be scared, please call us immediately on 0198386/122, message us on this page or email amazonworld@rocketmail.com.

'If you live locally please check sheds, bonfire piles, they sleep during the day and become active at dusk.'

This comes after Cinnamon the fugitive capybara was finally caught after 'capturing the hearts' of animal lovers around the world.

The rodent escaped through an open gate in her enclosure at Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World into adjacent woodland. 

The one-year-old was found in a pond close to the zoo at Telford, Shropshire, and a search team spent an hour working to get her out of the water and into a cage.