Search efforts for a missing capybara in Hampshire are continuing as further sightings of the fugitive rodent have been reported.
Samba, the capybara, has been missing since Monday (March 16) when she and her sister, Tango, escaped from a temporary holding enclosure at Marwell Zoo.
Tango was swiftly re-captured within the zoo grounds, but her sister remains on the run.
A spokesperson for Marwell, in an update shared on Wednesday, said that search teams were continuing to monitor the waterways around the area where sightings of Samba have been reported.
They added that one new sighting of the capybara in an area similar to those previously reported had been registered on Wednesday.
Video footage of Samba resting on a bank of the River Itchen, near Winchester, was shared earlier this week by a dog walker.
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The spokesperson added that additional camera traps had been laid down and thermal drones were continuing to be used in the search for Samba.
“We do believe she is still in the same area, but that area is large with a lot of water so she could be tucked into a riverbed and not easily visible,” the spokesperson said.
They added that the zoo has received “relevant permissions” to deploy humane traps, which use melon to tempt Samba out of hiding.
Capybaras 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 or try to capture her by themselves to avoid causing any distress.
Instead, sightings of Samba should be reported at the earliest opportunity using the hotline 07436 167401.
Photos or videos of Samba can also be shared via the same contact number. Anyone doing this is asked to include an exact location.
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