A MISSING capybara still on the run five months after escaping from a UK zoo has finally being spotted for the first time since March.
Samba vanished from Marwell Zoo in Hampshire on March 17 while she and her sister Tango were being moved into a temporary enclosure.
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Now, a photograph taken by a member of the public has confirmed the fugitive rodent is still alive.
The picture was sent to Marwell after the reported sighting and has since been verified by the zoo as Samba.
A Marwell spokesman said: “Yes, the sighting was Samba, but we haven’t got any further updates to share at the moment.”
The sighting has renewed hopes of finally bringing the nine-month-old capybara home after months of mystery surrounding her whereabouts.
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Samba disappeared after escaping from her enclosure, while sister Tango was found nearby and safely returned.
But Samba proved far more elusive, despite a huge search operation involving drones, dog units, camera traps and volunteers.
Her disappearance sparked widespread interest, with members of the public reporting possible sightings as the search continued.
Back in March, Samba was reportedly spotted sunning herself on riverbanks after apparently travelling more than a mile from the zoo.
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She was thought to have crossed a busy road, avoided electric fences and even dodged herds of cows.
At one point she was seen near The Ship Inn in Owslebury before diving into undergrowth.
She later resurfaced on the banks of the River Itchen, around two-and-a-half miles away, before another sighting near Twyford.
Zoo staff warned at the time that the biggest dangers facing Samba were people and roads.
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Capybaras are native to South America and are the world’s biggest rodents, growing to more than 5ft and weighing up to 12st.
They are also well suited to life around water and have no natural predators in the UK.
The zoo has previously said Samba had access to fresh water, vegetation and places to shelter while out in the wild.
On August 11, Marwell said its teams were acting on a “promising lead” following a reported sighting.
The latest photograph has now provided the clearest proof yet that Samba has managed to survive her extraordinary five-month adventure.
Her disappearance has also inspired a string of jokes online, with social media users sharing pictures of the capybara apparently living her best life.
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Some have even posted AI-generated images showing Samba lounging by pools, relaxing on holiday or enjoying a trip to the pub.
But despite the jokes, the zoo’s search for the runaway rodent is still ongoing.