A capybara has recently escaped from a zoo in the UK and was last seen by a dogwalker near a river. The capybara, named Samba, fled from Marwell Zoo in Winchester shortly after its arrival from Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park in Suffolk. The nine-month-old rodent was first noticed by the dogwalker along the River Itchen, with her pet causing the capybara to retreat into the water.
Claudie Paddick, the dogwalker, initially mistook the capybara for a deer when she stumbled upon it during a walk with her pet. She expressed surprise at encountering a capybara in the area, emphasizing the unusual sighting. Despite efforts by zoo staff to locate the missing animal using thermal drones, Paddick cautioned that capturing the speedy capybara would not be easy, as it was swift in its movements.
Paddick was informed by her neighbor about the escaped capybara, prompting her to realize the situation. She later shared that the capybara seemed content sunbathing on the riverbank, providing some relief amid the search efforts. Laura Read, the CEO of Marwell Wildlife, highlighted the challenges in spotting the capybara due to mistaken identifications with muntjac deer.
Read urged the public to remain vigilant and described Samba as a small to medium-sized, light brown capybara that is not yet fully grown. Despite several false sightings, there have been no further reports of the escaped capybara since the initial incident. The zoo emphasized the importance of not approaching or disturbing Samba to prevent stress and advised against individual capture attempts.
Ensuring animal welfare as a top priority, the zoo noted that the capybara may be more active during nighttime. The search for Samba continues, with the hope of a safe recovery without causing the animal undue distress.
