Zoo Left Treats for Its Escaped Capybara, Then a Camera Caught Her Coming Back
A runaway capybara called Samba has been filmed eating treats left by zoo staff as they try to bring her home before winter.
For months, a missing capybara seemed to have vanished into the countryside. Now a trap camera has captured the moment Samba quietly returned for snacks left out by the zoo still trying to bring her back.
The new footage shows six year old Samba helping herself to treats placed out by staff from Marwell Zoo, who have been trying to tempt the runaway rodent back to her enclosure. After so long out of sight, the clip offers the clearest sign yet that she is still returning to a spot the team hopes she will come to trust.
Zoo staff say they are working tirelessly to recover her as winter approaches, but they are not rushing in. Even though they know the area where Samba is staying, they have made clear that getting her home is not as simple as walking up and picking her up.
Instead, the effort has become a slow and deliberate operation built around keeping her calm. The zoo has been creating a feeding area so Samba becomes familiar with the location and keeps coming back regularly, something staff describe as an important part of their plan to recover her safely.
Why the rescue is being handled so carefully
The zoo says stress has to be kept to an absolute minimum. Their concern is that if Samba is frightened or disturbed, she could move away from the area entirely, making a safe recovery even harder.
That caution also explains why her exact whereabouts are not being shared. Staff say Samba is currently on private land, and they want to avoid people disturbing her or interfering with the work already under way.
The challenge of bringing her back has already proved bigger than many expected. Samba escaped with her sister Tango after the pair arrived at the zoo from Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park. Tango was found quickly, but Samba has stayed out of reach despite search efforts that included thermal drones and sniffer dogs.
The sighting that kept the search alive
Before this latest camera clip, the last known sighting came seven months earlier, when dogwalker Claudie Paddick saw the capybara resting on the banks of the River Itchen in the March sunshine.
Paddick had been out walking with her black labrador Growler and her sausage dog Patsy when Growler's barking startled the animal. Samba then jumped into the river and swam away. Paddick managed to take a photo before sending it to a neighbour, who contacted the zoo.
Paddick later said she had never seen or even heard of a capybara before that moment, and said she has since become "a bit of an expert". She also remarked that while plenty of animals are seen on walks by the river, a rodent from the Amazon is not one of the usual sights.
For now, the latest images suggest Samba is still close enough to keep the zoo's patient strategy alive. After months of searches, sightings and near misses, the most promising development may be the simplest one, a fugitive capybara turning up for food.
What a capybara is, and why one might come back
Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents. They are semi aquatic animals that spend a lot of time near ponds, lakes, streams, or muddy ground. They graze on plants, rest in cover, and often feel safest when they can move between water and shelter.
Even when a capybara gets loose, it may not head far into open country. Many animals stick to what feels familiar: regular feeding times, known smells, and places with easy access to water. If food, quiet shelter, and familiar scents are available, a capybara may circle back rather than keep roaming. That is especially true for an animal raised in human care, which may be less confident finding new territory or avoiding hazards like roads, dogs, and noise.
Capybaras are usually calm, but they are still powerful animals with large teeth. If stressed, cornered, or chased, they can bite or bolt suddenly.
Why treats and cameras are commonly used
When an animal escapes, keepers and wildlife teams often try to make returning the easiest option. Food can work as a lure, but it is usually most effective when it is something familiar rather than random snacks. Scent can matter almost as much as taste. Bedding, droppings, and well used paths can help draw an animal back toward a safe area.
Cameras are useful because many nervous animals move when people are not nearby. A motion triggered camera lets rescuers learn when the animal is visiting, which direction it is coming from, and whether it is calm enough for a trap, a secure pen, or a quiet recovery attempt. This approach reduces stress and lowers the risk of a panicked chase.
Patience is often part of the process. A frightened animal may visit an area several times before feeling safe enough to stay.
What to do if you spot an escaped exotic animal
Do not approach, feed, corner, or try to catch it yourself. Keep children back, put dogs on a lead, and stay quiet. Chasing usually makes recovery harder by pushing the animal into thicker cover, traffic, or water.
If it is safe, note the exact location, the time, and the direction the animal was moving. A photo or short video taken from a distance can help confirm identity, but only if you can do it without following too closely. Then contact the local zoo, animal control service, police non emergency line, or wildlife rescue group, depending on what is available where you live.
If the animal is near a road, warn others from a safe place rather than stepping into traffic. The best help is often good information and as little disturbance as possible.
