Missing capybara Samba spotted on camera six months after escape

Summarised from 5 outlets · 6 reports · Updated 27 Oct, 16:29 · Archive

One-year-old Samba, who escaped from Marwell Zoo near Winchester in March, has been captured on wildlife cameras this month.

A one-year-old capybara named Samba has been spotted on wildlife cameras more than six months after escaping from Marwell Zoo near Winchester in Hampshire. She broke out of a temporary enclosure on 17 March, less than a day after arriving at the zoo from Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park. Samba was being held with her sister, Tango, but only Tango was quickly recaptured after the escape. Samba ventured beyond the zoo's grounds and has remained at large since.

Wildlife cameras were deployed in the area following Samba's last confirmed sighting in August. Grainy photographs captured this month have provided new evidence of her whereabouts. The exact location of the most recent images, taken on private land, is being kept confidential by the zoo.

Marwell Zoo said it is pursuing a carefully managed recovery process. A spokesperson stated: 'Since confirming that we had new photographic evidence of Samba's whereabouts in August, our team has continued working tirelessly to bring her safely back to Marwell Zoo.'

The zoo has emphasised that recovery cannot be rushed. 'Although we know the area she is in, it isn't simply a case of being able to approach and collect her,' the spokesperson said. 'It's vital that we keep any stress to an absolute minimum, as frightening or disturbing her could cause her to move away from the area and make her safe recovery more difficult.'

In recent weeks, Marwell Zoo has installed additional wildlife cameras and established a feeding area in the vicinity. The strategy is to encourage Samba to become familiar with the location and return regularly. The zoo described this as 'an important step in our plans to safely recover her'. The capybara's escape attracted global interest when she first went missing, and updates on her whereabouts continue to draw attention.

Missing capybara Samba spotted on camera six months after escape — Image: BBC Hampshire

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How it is being reported

Samba the missing capybara caught on cameraSamba has been on the run from Marwell Zoo since March.BBC Hampshire · 27 Oct, 16:10
Missing Marwell capybara Samba caught on camera six months after escapeNew photos of Samba, the missing capybara still on the loose after six months, have been releasedRomsey Advertiser · 27 Oct, 16:01
Missing Marwell capybara Samba caught on camera six months after escapeNew photos of Samba, the missing capybara still on the loose after six months, have been releasedBasingstoke Gazette · 27 Oct, 16:01
Missing Marwell capybara Samba caught on camera six months after escapeNew photos of Samba, the missing capybara still on the loose after six months, have been releasedAndover Advertiser · 27 Oct, 16:01
Missing capybara Samba caught on camera six months after escapeNew photos of Samba, the missing capybara still on the loose after six months, have been releasedSouthern Daily Echo · 27 Oct, 15:01
Samba the missing capybara caught on cameraZookeepers are still trying to recover one-year-old Samba after she went on the run in March.BBC Hampshire · 27 Oct, 13:57

In this story: Samba · Marwell Zoo · Winchester · Tango · Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park

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