Capybara search narrows in bid to reunite sisters

Teams from a zoo scouring a stretch of riverbank for a runaway capybara say it is vital she is reunited with her sister.

The week-long search to track down and catch Samba started last Tuesday after she escaped with Tango from a temporary holding area at Marwell Zoo, near Winchester, a day after arriving from Suffolk.

Tango was found nearby but her nine-month old sibling has roamed about 2 miles (3.5km) from the zoo and was last seen on Sunday by a dog walker near Twyford.

Laura Read, the zoo's boss, said Tango was "fine and being checked on regularly... but they do need to be back together. They are social animals and live in groups, so it's really important we reunite them."

Dog walker Claudie Paddick spotted the runaway rodent relaxing in the sun on the riverbank before she was accidentally spooked by her dog Growler and made a swift exit into the water.

Teams from the zoo have been scouring the spot using thermal drones, while netting and camera traps have been set up.

Laura Read, chief executive officer of Marwell Wildlife, said they were "reviewing the footage to see if we can catch a glimpse of her in the area".

She warned capybaras were surprisingly speedy and can run about 20mph (32kmh), swim and stay underwater for several minutes so Samba was going to be a challenging capture.

"We've got our work cut out," she said.

The pair had arrived from Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park in Suffolk.

The zoo has urged people in the area to keep their dogs on leads to avoid scaring Samba described as the size of a small to medium dog - not as big as a spaniel and light brown.

Anyone who believes they have seen her is asked to contact the zoo immediately and send a photo or video with details of the location so they can confirm the sighting.