Capybara on the run from zookeepers after escaping her enclosure

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A baby capybara, only nine months old, escaped from a zoo in the UK just a day after it first arrived.

Teams in Hampshire are searching for Samba, a playful animal, after she was last seen close to the River Itchen in Winchester, England.

The video shows a capybara happily diving into the water and swimming off. The person filming, who was walking a dog, gently called their dog back to prevent it from approaching the capybara.

“At first, I thought it was a deer,” said Claudie Paddick, who was walking a dog. “You don’t normally see a capybara while out for a walk. And I don’t think she’ll be easy to catch—she was really fast!” she told the BBC.

Samba has been missing since March 17th, and her caretakers are having a difficult time finding her.

Marwell Wildlife’s CEO, Laura Read, explained in a statement that they plan to use nets, and potentially a dart gun to temporarily sedate the animal. However, they won’t use the dart gun if the animal is near water, and will instead attempt to capture her with a net.

A 9-month-old capybara escaped from a zoo just after arriving and is now on the run in England.

— Capybara (@Capybaras_Daily) March 24, 2026

Marwell Zoo has had a few mistaken sightings recently, with people thinking small muntjac deer were the larger Samba. The zoo is also reminding dog owners to keep their dogs leashed to prevent them from disturbing the capybara.

Catching a capybara isn’t an easy feat

Capybaras are surprisingly speedy animals, comfortable moving both on land and in the water. Even though they’re the biggest rodents in the world, they can run up to 22 miles per hour – nearly as fast as a horse!

These animals can swim well and have head shapes that allow them to keep their eyes, ears, and noses above the water, helping them avoid danger from animals on land.

Catching Samba will be difficult, as she’s been successfully avoiding those trying to find her for a week. Right now, authorities are asking people who live nearby to watch their gardens in case she happens to wander onto their property.

A capybara recently gained attention online after a UK zoo sadly had to euthanize it and its close companion, a tapir. The decision was made because the two animals had formed a strong bond and the zoo didn’t want either to suffer from loneliness.

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2026-03-25 00:48