Britons have been urged to check their ponds as a capybara continues to evade capture after escaping from a Hampshire zoo last week.
Samba, a nine-month-old rodent, fled her enclosure at Marwell Zoo on Tuesday alongside her sister Tango - just one day after the pair arrived from Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park near Ipswich.
While Tango was quickly found hiding in bushes near the zoo, Samba has managed to stay on the run.
The fugitive was most recently spotted diving into the River Itchen near Winchester shortly after 11am on Sunday.
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Local resident Claudie Paddick, 42, filmed the animal resting on the riverbank before a barking dog startled it into the water.
"I was taking the dogs along the river bank and noticed something that I thought was a beaver," Ms Paddick said.
"Then I thought it was an injured deer. It then jumped in the river and it didn't come back out and I was like, what the hell is that?"
After sending the footage to a neighbour, she realised it was the missing capybara and alerted the zoo.
Britons have been urged to check their ponds as a capybara continues to evade capture (file photo)
|GETTY
Around 15 staff were deployed to the area with thermal imaging equipment, but Samba evaded capture once again.
"We see lots of animals when we go walking down the river but never a rodent from the Amazon," Ms Paddick added.
Before Sunday’s sighting, the "more adventurous" Samba had been spotted nearly three miles from the zoo near a pub in Owslebury.
There have even been unconfirmed reports placing her as far as 35 miles away near Stonehenge.
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Samba, a nine-month-old rodent, fled her enclosure at Marwell Zoo on Tuesday
|Search teams have now deployed specialist sniffer dogs, which have picked up her scent and helped narrow the search area.
Thermal drones are also being used to track the South American rodent.
Marwell Zoo chief executive Laura Read said capybaras are particularly fond of water.
She added that like many escapees Samba "is also more likely to travel at night, so please keep an eye out for her after sunset and be careful when driving".
Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents and are semi-aquatic, spending much of their time in water
|GETTY
Residents have been urged to check gardens, ponds and nearby waterways for any sign of the animal.
Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents and are semi-aquatic, spending much of their time in water.
They are often compared to guinea pigs and are known for their friendly and curious nature.
The zoo said animal welfare remains its "highest priority" and that staff are "working hard to bring Samba back as quickly and safely as possible".
Anyone who spots Samba is advised not to approach her and should instead contact the zoo’s 24-hour hotline.
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