THE mystery of how a Brazilian aardvark came to be found in Bucks woodland appears to be solved - and there could be a second one still on the loose.

Ramblers spotted the long snouted creature, normally only seen in South America, in Fennimore Wood, Marlow, last month and the RSPCA confirmed it was a coati. But unfortunately it was found dead days after.

Now, Lady McAlpine, of Fawley Hill, between Marlow and Henley, has told the Free Press that she believes the animal belonged to a sanctuary on her grounds. And she has appealed to the public for help finding a second of the creatures, which escaped at about the same time about a year ago.

"We rather assume the dead one was our boy which is sickeningly sad as he was adorable," she said.

"But Coatis climb trees - they don't grow on them - and I doubt there are too many roaming the woods of Bucks. We have looked for him every day since he left and I just can't bear to think of him getting disorientated and not finding his way back."

The estate houses an animal sanctuary which cares for creatures zoos can not.

She said: "We have two groups of coatis and about a year ago two young males went walkabout. We have now seen several reports of them being seen in Frieth and near Marlow.

"Could anyone seeing them please call 01491 571373.

"We would like to bring them back to a separate enclosure we have made for the boys. They are perfectly hardy if bred here - as these two were: but they are pack animals and must be very lonely."

Meanwhile more pictures have now emerged, thanks to reader Max Breed, of Berwick Road, Marlow.

He captured these images around the same as the original spotting and believes it may have been the same animal that has perished.

"I have never ever seen anything like this," he said.

"At first I thought it was a fox, and then I looked again and thought no, look at that tail with those very distinctive rings on it."