"The search continues" Marwell Zoo has not given up hope of finding escaped Capybara

Marwell Zoo has said it has not given up hope of finding a missing Capybara which escaped in March.

Since Samba’s escape shortly after arriving at the Hampshire zoo, the attraction has received several possible sightings from members of the public. But so far the team has been able to confirm her location, with thieves stealing two camera traps, impacting the zoo’s ability to monitor key locations.

It said its teams continue to carry out regular searches, focusing on areas where Samba is most likely to be, particularly along waterways and in dense vegetation and are still deploying thermal drone technology and other camera traps to support this work.

But it also believes that some reported sightings were muntjac deer, which are found locally, and can be easily mistaken for Samba due to her similar size and colouring.

Will Walker, head of animals and plants at Marwell Wildlife said: “Our last confirmed sighting of Samba, supported by photographic evidence, was in the Colden Common area on Sunday 22nd March 2026. Since then, we’ve received many possible sightings, but without photos or video, it has been difficult to confirm whether these reports are Samba or muntjac deer which can look very similar.

“On Thursday 23rd April, we received new information from a river bailiff who reported seeing an animal feeding on vegetation along the riverbank. Due to the dense foliage, the animal itself was not visible, but the bite marks and the height of the grazed plants were consistent with capybara feeding. The bailiff noted that this was not behaviour they had observed from other species they’ve studied, so we are hopeful this may have been Samba.

“On the evening of Wednesday 6th May, we received a report of a possible sighting of Samba along Highbridge Road. Our team headed out to the area shortly afterwards, however there was unfortunately no sign of her. A camera trap has now been installed in the area to help monitor any further activity.”

The local area provides plenty of natural vegetation and habitat for a capybara, allowing Samba to find both food and shelter easily, Marwell said. This also means she is likely to stay well hidden, making the search more challenging. Despite this, our teams remain fully committed to the search and to bringing her home safely.

Staff said that Tango, Samba's sister (pictured) continues to do well and remains in her private habitat while work is completed on her new home at the front of the park. She has been enjoying the warmer weather, often seen relaxing in the sun and napping in her hay.

If you believe you may have seen Samba, please:

• Take a photo

• Send it to 07436 116740

• Include the What3Words or Google Maps location