Samba escaped from the zoo on 17 March, less than a day after arriving. She broke out of a temporary enclosure she shared with her sister, Tango, who was quickly recaptured.

Tango remained at the zoo alone until July, when keepers introduced a male capybara named Ripple.

Samba, however, has stayed on the run and is considered the more adventurous of the pair.

In the four months since her escape, the young capybara has been reported at several locations, including near a pub and sunning herself on a riverbank.

Search teams were deployed to the Brambridge area on 6 July after a fisherman reported a credible sighting.

Despite extensive efforts using thermal-imaging drones and a specialist sniffer dog, Samba has so far avoided being caught.