Escaped exotic animals have become a surprisingly regular headline in recent years, from big cats triggering lockdowns to monkeys turning up in city centres and, more recently, capybaras seemingly vanishing into the countryside.
While modern zoos operate with strict safety protocols, recent events show that no system is entirely foolproof. Most escapees are recovered quickly, often within hours, thanks to coordinated responses involving keepers and police. While other animals evade capture for days, weeks, or even longer, disappearing into the landscape and eventually becoming part of local folklore.
The viral escaped capybara that's still at large
Only a day after arriving at Marwell Zoo in Hampshire on 16 March, a pesky capybara named Samba made a bid for freedom. Samba had just been moved from Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park in Suffolk to her new Southampton home when she broke out of her temporary holding area alongside sister Tango. Though Tango was swiftly retrieved by zoo officials, nine-month-old Samba remains at large and has since been sighted by a local dog walker along the River Itchen.
In an ongoing publicity stunt, a string of fake sightings have been reported by local businesses, including AI images of Samba perusing the local shopping centre, watching a match with a pint in paw at the local football club, and 'sniffing a sausage' at a local butchers. Marwell Zoo has released a statement confirming that while Samba is still Hampshire's most wanted, they are liaising with thermal imaging drone teams, local dog units, and are using human trapping equipment. The event is alarmingly reminiscent of the capybara escapee of 2024 who was on the run for six days before being safely captured.
Capybaras are the world's largest rodents and very strong swimmers, being able to hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes. The semi-aquatic mammals are native to central South America and have the reputation of being the friendliest animal in the world, capable of peacefully cohabiting with a wide range of animals. Herbivores through and through, capybaras are not dangerous creatures.
Capybaras can resemble a mix between a beaver and a large guinea pig with long, light-brown hair. The rodent can stand at 60cm tall and is stocky, with a barrel body and short legs.
Sundara the ambling red panda
Sundara, a young red panda, escaped her enclosure overnight in Newquay Zoo back in May 2023, likely by climbing over foliage or structural features. She was found early the next morning, calmly wandering about half a mile away near a greengrocer's. Staff working at the time say they saw the panda "ambling down the road without a care in the world". Police were called as a precaution and Sundara was captured without incident after being cornered in a nearby courtyard. Sundara is one of two residential red pandas living in Newquay Zoo.
Young cheetah on a mission
A two-year-old cheetah named Kitwana managed to breach its enclosure at Port Lympne Wildlife Park back in March 2017. Visitors were immediately moved to safety, while the big cat explored the surrounding area, staying close to his enclosure. The whole episode was over within 30 minutes as staff used food to coax Kitwana back into his enclosure. Some believe he had escaped in search of his mother, from whom he'd recently been separated after consistently eating her food as well as his own.
A roar escape in Sydney
Five lions (four cubs and an adult male) shot to the headlines in December 2022 when they managed to escape from their enclosure at Taronga Zoo in Australia. Videos show the adventurous lions scratching and clawing at a section of fence, creating a big enough gap to slip through. The zoo swiftly went into lockdown, with staff and visitors hiding away while the big cats calmly explored the area outside of their exhibit. Similar to young Kitwana five years earlier, they seemed to get bored after a few minutes and promptly squeezed back through the fence to be reunited with the pride's lioness and remaining cub, who remained inside.
Electrifying chimpanzee rooftop chase
A 24-year-old chimpanzee named Chacha was seen cha cha sliding along an electricity pole in Sendai, Japan, in April 2016, much to the bemusement of onlookers. For two hours, the monkey evaded captors by swinging from one wire to another after escaping from Yagiyama Zoological Park. The situation ended dramatically when the chimp was tranquilised mid-climb and fell into a waiting safety net. Chacha reportedly only suffered minor buising, while the escape momentarily cut electricity to a reported 1,848 homes.
The escaped lioness mystery
Authorities in Brandenburg, Germany launched a massive operation in July 2023 after reports of a lioness roaming suburban areas, possibly escaped from a private collection or nearby zoo. The animal was described as an adult female lion, though its identity was never confirmed. Residents were told to stay indoors while armed police and helicopters searched the area. The story caused nationwide panic but after extensive investigation, officials concluded it was most likely a misidentified wild boar. No capture occurred and no lion was ever definitively found.
Top image: A capybara, or greater capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), is pictured at the Leslie Pantin Zoological Animal Conservatory in Maracay, Venezuela 2025. (Credit: Getty Images)
