Stolen camera traps are hampering efforts to locate a missing capybara more than a month after it escaped from a zoo.
Samba, a nine-month-old capybara, has been missing from Hampshire’s Marwell Zoo since Tuesday, March 17.
A second capybara, Tango was quickly recaptured.
Both animals had arrived the day before at the zoo from Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park in Wherstead, near Ipswich, prior to the escape.
Despite extensive efforts including public appeals, thermal drones, and camera traps, Samba remains missing.
Laura Reed, chief executive of Marwell Zoo, said: "Over the last few weeks since Samba disappeared, we have received a number of reported sightings of her from members of the public.
"We are extremely grateful to everyone who is supporting us and has taken the time to get in touch with their information.
"Sadly, despite thorough follow-ups on these reports, none has yet resulted in a confirmed sighting of Samba.
"Our teams remain fully committed and continue to carry out searches of the area.
"We are still using thermal drone technology and camera traps in key areas where Samba is most likely to travel, particularly along waterways and dense vegetation.
"We are however facing a number of challenges.
"Unfortunately, two of our camera traps have been stolen which is hampering our search.
"We’re also aware that some of the reported sightings of Samba may actually be Muntjac deer as they are found in the area and are of a similar size and colouring.
"Despite these difficulties and Samba’s natural capybara instinct to stay hidden, we are not giving up our search and remain focused on bringing her home safely."
Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents and are native to South America, where they are commonly found near bodies of water.
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