Hornsea Bugtopia zoo's campaign to recover 'stolen' Atlas moth cocoon goes viral

Staff at a zoo in East Yorkshire say they believe they have identified a man who allegedly stole a moth cocoon after a social media appeal went viral.

Thousands of people shared pictures released by Bugtopia in Hornsea of the suspected thief after the Atlas moth cocoon went missing on Thursday.

In its original appeal, the zoo posted on Facebook: "This is a living animal that is in the vulnerable stage of metamorphosis and will not survive outside the precise temperature and humidity conditions we strive to keep them in here at Bugtopia Hornsea Zoo.

"The cocoon needs to be returned to us as matter of urgency if the moth stands any chance to survive and successfully emerge."

The appeal was shared almost 4,000 times and staff said they had been in touch with Humberside Police over the incident. In a follow-up post they urged the man, who they said they had identified, to "do the right thing".

Atlas moths, which are native to the tropical forests and shrublands of Asia, are among the largest of the species, with a wingspan measuring up to 24cm.

On Monday morning, the zoo said: "We have been informed that the person involved will be doing the right thing and returning the cocoon to us today."