World's largest rodent spotted on golf course

It seems golf courses are no longer reserved as the refuge of choice for escaping husbands – with rodents, rather large ones - now spotted meandering amongst the leafy greens.

Case in point: the capybara – the world's largest rodent – was spotted ambling near the 8th tee at the North Weald Golf Club in Essex.

The capybara is a native of South America and is most closely related to the guinea pig.

But that's not how golfers described the rather bemused looking creature – with witnesses claiming it "looked like a cross between a beaver and a bear".

The first couple to spot the capybara – Kevin and Barbara Walkers – immediately called the club house to report seeing a "wild boar meandering around the pond".

According to a statement on the club's website, fellow club member Stefan Freeman was "next up on the tee" and identified it as a capybara.

It turns out the creature had escaped from nearby Ashlyns Farm Shop.

The shop's manager, Rob Dixon, said that so far the creature has managed to elude captors by either "jumping in the river or shooting off".

"Next time we've got to get a vet out and try and tranquilise it."

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Author: Natasha Lee, Approving editor: Nick Pearson