Five months after escaping from Marwell Zoo in Hampshire, England, a young capybara named Samba has finally been spotted again.
The one-year-old animal disappeared from the zoo on March 17, less than a day after arriving.
Since then, her unusual adventure has attracted attention far beyond the local area.
Now, Marwell Zoo says a member of the public managed to photograph Samba on August 11, giving search teams what the zoo described as a “promising lead.”
Officials have not released further details about the sighting while efforts to locate her continue.
Samba originally escaped from a temporary enclosure she was sharing with her sister, Tango.
Although Tango was quickly recaptured, Samba managed to get away and has remained free ever since.
Over the following months, people reported seeing her in several different places.
She has reportedly been spotted near a pub, relaxing along a riverbank and moving through areas surrounding the zoo.
In July, search teams headed to the Brambridge area after a fisherman reported what was considered a credible sighting.
Rescuers used thermal-imaging drones and even brought in a specialist sniffer dog in an attempt to track her down.
Samba still managed to avoid capture.
Her success at staying hidden may partly come down to the natural abilities of capybaras.
Native to South America, capybaras are the world’s largest rodents and are especially comfortable around water.
Their partially webbed feet make them strong swimmers, and they often use rivers, lakes and marshes as protection when they feel threatened.
They can even remain underwater for several minutes when necessary.
That has made finding Samba especially challenging.
Meanwhile, Tango has continued living at Marwell Zoo and was joined in July by a male capybara named Ripple.
Samba, however, appears determined to continue her adventure a little longer.
The zoo is asking anyone who spots her not to approach or chase her.
Instead, members of the public are encouraged to take a photograph and report the exact location so staff can continue tracking her movements.
After months without being caught, the latest photograph offers renewed hope that rescuers may finally be getting closer to bringing Samba safely home.