NEED TO KNOW

• A capybara named Samba escaped from the Marwell Zoo, one day after she arrived at the park

• Samba was spotted at a nearby village and outside a local pub

• The zoo says capybaras are gentle; however, it urges the public not to approach the animal

An adventurous capybara is making headlines after turning a routine zoo transfer into an unexpected escape story.

On Thursday, March 19, the Marwell Zoo, located in Hampshire, England, shared details about its newest capybara, a 9-month-old named Samba, who went “missing” just one day after arriving at the park alongside her companion, Tango.

According to the press release, obtained by PEOPLE, the pair had been transferred from Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park in Ipswich and were being held in a temporary enclosure while undergoing standard health checks. During this period, keepers realized that the new capybaras had escaped the enclosure.

“On Tuesday, we discovered that Samba and Tango had escaped from this holding home. Tango didn’t stray too far, hiding in bushes in the zoo, and is now safely returned,” the announcement read. “Samba was more adventurous, and our specialist teams have been looking for her relentlessly since then.”

According to zoo officials, a member of the public later reported spotting Samba near a roadside by a local pub in Owslebury, just over a mile from the zoo, which helped narrow down the search area.

Despite her sudden disappearance, staff emphasized that capybaras are “lovely, intelligent animals” that are gentle by nature and pose no threat to people, pets, or local wildlife.

The zoo went on to ask residents to stay alert for potential sightings of Samba. “Capybaras love water, so please check gardens, ponds, rivers and local water environments where she may be hiding,” noted the zoo. “She is also more likely to travel at night, so please keep an eye out for her after sunset and be careful when driving.”

While the zoo is encouraging locals in surrounding villages to keep an eye out, it is also asking people not to travel to the area in search of the animal.

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“Please don’t approach Samba or disturb the area around her,” the team advised, noting that unfamiliar interactions could cause stress and complicate her recovery. Only trained keepers should attempt to retrieve the animal.

According to the zoo, local authorities have been notified, and securing Samba’s safe return is its top priority. For now, the search continues — with hopes the curious capybara’s adventure will soon come to a calm end.

Read the original article on People