A male agouti made a brief escape from the National Zoo Monday night.
Zoo officials say "Macadamia" escaped from his outdoor enclosure behind the Small Mammal House just after 7 p.m. The crafty rodent escaped by chewing through the enclosure's industrial, stainless-steel mesh.
But he didn't get very far.
Staff members were able to keep Macadamia in their view, and he was herded into a contained area within 30 minutes. The agouti is safe, and the enclosure was patched with heavy-duty wire mesh.
Macadamia will be kept in an interior exhibit until zookeepers review his outdoor enclosure.
Macadamia is new to the zoo, arriving just a few months ago. He has yet to meet his mate, Hazelnut.
Agoutis weigh between 6.6 and 13 pounds, and grow to between 19 and 25 inches, according to the National Zoo.
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We all remember the National Zoo's most famous escapee, Rusty. Two years ago, the mischievous red panda garnered nationwide attention when he escaped from his enclosure. He was later found about a mile away and was recaptured.
