A capybara that escaped from Marwell Zoo in March has been spotted by a member of the public, five months after going missing. One-year-old Samba, who escaped on 17 March, was photographed on 11 August.
Marwell Zoo, near Winchester in Hampshire, confirmed the sighting, describing it as a "promising lead" in the ongoing search. The zoo stated it was unable to provide further updates.
Samba escaped from a temporary enclosure shortly after arriving at the zoo, while her sister, Tango, was quickly recaptured. Search teams have previously deployed thermal-imaging drones and a specialist sniffer dog in efforts to locate Samba.
The zoo has appealed for anyone who spots Samba to take a picture and share it, along with the exact location, to assist in tracking her down.