Search Continues for Escaped Capybara Samba Near Marwell Zoo

Nine-month-old capybara Samba escaped from Marwell Zoo near Winchester and has become the focus of an ongoing search involving drones and community efforts.

Escaped Capybara Sparks Local Interest

An escaped capybara has become the focal point of attention in the local community as efforts to locate the animal intensify.

Nine-month-old Samba has been missing since Tuesday after slipping through a small gap in a temporary enclosure at Marwell Zoo, near Winchester, shortly after arriving from Suffolk.

Marwell Wildlife Two capybaras inside a hut. They look like typical small rodents and are stood next to a pile of straw. — Samba and Tango arrived at Marwell Zoo near Winchester on Monday

Residents in nearby areas have been actively checking gardens, ponds, pools, and outbuildings following reported sightings of the capybara.

Drones have been deployed in the search operation, with the zoo stating it has two drones on standby to be used once the search area is more precisely defined.

Three women are stood by a fence around a field. One of the women is raising her arm and gesturing towards the field as the other watch. — Zoo teams are working "around the clock" to find Samba, following up reported sightings across the area

Zoo’s Ongoing Search Efforts

Laura Read, chief executive of Marwell Wildlife, confirmed that teams are working continuously to find Samba.

"Teams are working around the clock to find Samba," said Read.

Another nine-month-old capybara named Tango escaped simultaneously but was found nearby. The hope remains that Samba is still in the vicinity of the zoo.

"We do think she probably is still quite close by," Read stated. "We're not ruling out the fact she may have come back."

Read noted that Samba is not at risk from predators but advised drivers in the area to exercise caution, especially during nighttime hours.

"What she'll probably do is find somewhere she feels safe and secure, potentially by a water body, and hunker down," she added.

University Support and Public Sightings

The University of Southampton is assisting in the search by providing drone technology as part of an ongoing collaboration with the zoo to monitor animals from the air.

Nicky Scott reported spotting the capybara while waiting for a quiz night at The Ship Inn in Owslebury.

"There was a bang on the window and one of my team pointed at a capybara sitting in the road. I ran out and followed it down the lane until it disappeared into a hedgerow. It was very sweet but it shouldn't be out," Scott said.

She added that keepers arrived shortly after with a "heat-seeking drone" but were unable to locate Samba.

Nicky Scott, a woman with short white hair, is pictured smiling at the camera. She is wearing a pair of sunglasses. — Nicky Scott briefly followed the capybara after spotting it outside a pub

Community Reaction

Leo Todd, chairman of the pub's petanque club, commented on the local impact of the escape.

"It's definitely the talk of the village. Everybody is abuzz about it," Todd said.

"It's a funny story but it's also a bit of a sad one as well. This poor little animal has got lost, so of course we'd like to see it found."

Leo Todd, a white man with short white hair and wide framed glasses, is pictured smiling at the camera. He is wearing a blue collared shirt and is stood in front of a bush. — Leo Todd, from The Ship Inn petanque club, said the escape had become the "talk of the village"

Safety and Public Guidance

The zoo has emphasized that capybaras do not pose a risk to people, pets, or wildlife. However, the public is urged not to approach Samba and to report any sightings to the authorities.