Laura Read, chief executive officer of Marwell Wildlife, said teams have had several false alarms after picking up muntjac deer with the drones as they are about the same size as Samba.
“We’ve got nets and we have got the option of a dart gun which would temporarily knock her out… but if she is anywhere near the water that is a no-go so it would be the case of trying to grab her with a net,” she added.
Read described Samba as “the size of a small to medium dog – not as big as a spaniel, light brown but she is not fully grown – as she is only nine months old”.
The zoo has urged people in the area to keep their dogs on leads to avoid scaring Samba.
Anyone who believes they have seen her is asked to contact the zoo immediately and send a photo or video with details of the location so they can confirm the sighting.
Tango, a second nine-month-old capybara who also arrived from Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park in Suffolk, escaped at the same time as Samba but was found nearby.