Marwell Zoo has asked members of the public to be on the lookout after a capybara escaped from its enclosure earlier this week and still hasn’t been found.
In a statement, the zoo said the animal, named Samba, had most recently been spotted in the village of Owslebury – just over two miles away – on Wednesday evening.
The mischievous animal had only arrived at Marwell, along with another female capybara, named Tango, on Monday from Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, in Suffolk.
Samba and Tango were being held in a temporary holding area, where they both managed to escape on Tuesday.
Zookeepers were able to quickly locate and retrieve Tango, but Samba was “more adventurous”, the zoo said, and evaded capture.
“Our dedicated team began searching the zoo and surrounding area, as well as quickly securing the area where they escaped,” Marwell Zoo said in a statement.
“Local authorities were informed in line with the conditions of our zoo license. As always, animal welfare is our highest priority, and our team are working hard to bring Samba back as quickly and safely as possible.”
Capybara’s are intelligent, gentle animals, which do not pose a risk to the public, according to the zoo, but anyone who spots Samba is strongly advised to not approach her to avoid causing any distress.
Under no circumstances should a member of the public try to capture her by themselves.
The zoo is asking anyone who walks or drives in the local area to be particularly observant and to check ponds or local waterways as capybaras love to spend time in water.
Any sightings should be immediately reported on 07436167401. Alternatively, you can send a photo with location, using Google maps or What3Words.
Reporting History sees journalists join News At Ten anchor Tom Bradby to revisit their remarkable on-the-day reports of the defining events of the modern age. Listen to the episodes below…