Capybara Escapes from Zoo and Has Been on the Run for Two Weeks 0 14

A zoo in Hampshire, England, is holding out hope of finding a capybara named Samba, who escaped from her enclosure nearly two weeks ago. This was reported by BBC News.

The nine-month-old rodent fled the zoo near Winchester on March 17, the day after she was brought from Suffolk along with her sister named Tango. Tango was found quickly, but Samba is still on the run. Heat-seeking drones and a specially trained dog are being used in the search. Local residents and schoolchildren have organized search teams. Zoo director Laura Reed stated that they are not giving up and are prepared to search for as long as it takes.

According to Reed, the escape bears a striking resemblance to an incident 30 years ago when two capybaras escaped and were found two months later on the banks of the Itchen River. Samba has also been spotted near this river from time to time, enjoying her freedom. The search is currently focused around the village of Owslebury, where the rodent was seen on the day of her escape. The search area is expected to be expanded soon.

Zoo staff are urging anyone who spots Samba to call the hotline. "We will respond to any report. She can’t hide forever," Reed said. With the arrival of April and the start of the fishing season, there will be more people at the river where the fugitive is believed to be hiding. This increases the chances of a successful search.