A capybara that escaped from a Hampshire zoo over a month ago is still on the loose, and the search has been hampered by the theft of two camera traps, staff have revealed.
Samba's Escape
Samba, a nine-month-old capybara, fled Marwell Zoo after arriving from Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park in Suffolk alongside fellow capybara Tango in March. Both animals, which are the world's largest rodents, managed to break free, though Tango was quickly recaptured. Samba has been missing since March 17, despite extensive search efforts involving thermal drones, camera traps, and public appeals.
Stolen Equipment
Marwell Zoo chief executive Laura Reed confirmed that two camera traps were stolen, complicating the search. She said: 'Over the last weeks since Samba disappeared, we have received a number of reported sightings of her from members of the public. We are extremely grateful to everyone who is supporting us and has taken the time to get in touch with their information. Sadly, despite thorough follow-ups on these reports, none has yet resulted in a confirmed sighting of Samba.'
Reed added: 'Our teams remain fully committed and continue to carry out searches of the area. We are still using thermal drone technology and camera traps in key areas where Samba is most likely to travel, particularly along waterways and dense vegetation. We are however facing a number of challenges. Unfortunately, two of our camera traps have been stolen which is hampering our search. We're also aware that some of the reported sightings of Samba may actually be Muntjac deer as they are found in the area and are of a similar size and colouring.'
Despite these setbacks, Reed emphasised that the zoo is not giving up: 'Despite these difficulties and Samba's natural capybara instinct to stay hidden, we are not giving up our search and remain focused on bringing her home safely.'
