Officials in Malaysia are investigating after a collared capybara was seen loose near a car wash in Selayang.
The South American animal's origins remain unclear as local authorities try to figure out how it ended up roaming through the city, according to UPI.
What happened?
The incident came to light through a TikTok video that appears to show the capybara walking beside a car wash.
The animal in the clip appeared to be wearing a collar.
@musabumair970 Cabybara terlepas di Selayang #cabybara #cute #malaysia #malaysiatiktok ♬ original sound - Alea Veritas
Capybaras are native to South America rather than Malaysia, and they are the world's largest rodents.
Owning a capybara in Malaysia requires authorization from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, and those permits are generally reserved for zoos and licensed sanctuaries.
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Officials have not yet determined where this particular capybara came from.
Why does it matter?
Because the capybara was wearing a collar and was found far outside its native range, the encounter appears to be at least partly the result of human activity.
A loose exotic animal can become stressed, injured, or struck by a vehicle, and even a calm animal can cause confusion in a busy area if bystanders get too close or try to intervene on their own.
As the BBC has explored, human behavior often plays a major role in bringing animals into closer contact with people.
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Such encounters can create road hazards, disrupt local businesses, and require public resources to track down and safely recover animals that were never meant to be loose in the first place.
What's being done?
Authorities are trying to trace the capybara's origin.
The Selayang sighting has raised questions about ownership, oversight, and whether captive animals are being kept responsibly.
Commenters on TikTok also expressed fascination and amusement at the sighting.
"It's cute," one user wrote.
Another shared, "There are many behind my grandfather's house."
"He is the CEO in disguise," another commenter joked.
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