A runaway capybara that escaped from a zoo five months ago has been spotted for the first time.
Samba vanished from her enclosure at Marwell Zoo, in Hampshire, on March 17 as she and another giant rodent were being moved in.
Her great escape prompted a massive search operation but after almost six months she has yet to be located.
However, zookeepers have their most ‘promising lead’ yet after a photograph of a capybara taken on August 11 was confirmed to be Samba.
A Marwell spokesperson said: ‘Yes – the sighting was Samba but we haven’t got any further updates to share at the moment.’
The confirmation means Samba was still alive and moving around the area nearly five months after she escaped.
Her disappearance has attracted widespread attention, with members of the public reporting possible sightings during the search.
A running joke emerged online with social media users posting photos of Samba – often AI-generated – enjoying her life on the outside with various activities like lounging poolside or going to the pub.
Pictured: Samba when she first escaped – this is not a new photo
Samba in Marwell Zoo before her disappearance. She vanished from her enclosure on March 17 as she and another giant rodent were being moved in
Marwell has not provided any further details about where Samba was seen or whether the latest confirmed sighting has led to her being located.
In theory, a capybara could survive in the UK. The rodent has an abundant food source with plenty of grass and plants along riverbanks for it to eat.
They also have no natural predators that could hunt them.
For Samba, the biggest risk to her life could come from traffic and, if she survives, until winter she might struggle to reach food sources due to the freezing temperatures.
Capybaras are also social creatures often living in groups of 20 to 100 animals and solitary capybaras can be prone to stress and depression.
Have YOU spotted the runaway capybara? Email: edward.holt@dailymail.co.uk
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