Escaped capybara on the run from UK zoo

A capybara, named Samba, is on the run after escaping from a UK zoo.

Samba, and her sister Tango, arrived at Marwell Zoo in Hampshire, from Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park in Suffolk on Monday 16 March.

However, the zoo said the pair of giant rodents made a break for freedom, and managed to escape from their temporary holding area the next day.

Tango was quickly retrieved by the keepers, but Samba was "more adventurous" and has been on the run in the nearby area ever since.

People living nearby have been checking their gardens, ponds and sheds to help look for Samba.

Capybaras are the largest rodents in the world, and are usually found in South America in the wild. They are known to be intelligent animals and strong swimmers.

On Sunday 22 March, Samba was spotted by a lady walking her dogs by the side of the River Itchen, before she became spooked and jumped into the water and swam off.

The zoo shared an update over the weekend thanking everyone for their support in their search for Samba, and asking people to contact the zoo immediately if they spot her, with a photo or video and details of the location.

They said they are now getting help from a specialist dog unit, which had been trained to sniff out her scent.

The zoo said: "This has led us to a reduced search area, not far from where she was originally sighted, which has meant we could better deploy thermal drones to try and locate her."

It said the team remained "determined to do everything we can to bring Samba home safely".