Police have declared that the search for a four-year-old boy missing in the South Australian outback is now in the 'recovery phase,' as his family release a photo of him in a desperate plea to find him alive.August 'Gus' Lamont, vanished on Saturday from his grandparents' remote homestead, about 40 kilometres south of Yunta. On Thursday, police conceded it was unrealistic to expect a four-year-old to survive six days alone in the bush, so the search was now a recovery mission more than a rescue attempt.Hundreds of searchers have scoured the red dust and scrub, but the only trace of Gus is a single footprint discovered about 500 metres from the property's homestead.'It's a very similar boot pattern to what Gus was wearing when he went missing,' Yorke Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus said.When he disappeared, the little boy was wearing a grey broad-brimmed hat, a blue long-sleeved shirt with a Minion picture from Despicable Me on the front, light grey pants, and boots.On Thursday, his family released a photo of him for the first time, showing the boy wearing a Peppa Pig shirt saying 'My Mummy'.The release of the photo came after Superintendent Syrus admitted the odds of survival were fading fast without food, water, or shelter.'A four-year-old doesn't disappear into thin air, he has to be somewhere,' Syrus said.'Hopefully he's hanging in there alive, but we are now in recovery phase, and the fact he's been gone over 100 hours and six days, that's a long time to be out in the elements.'On Thursday, his family released a photo of him for the first time, showing the boy wearing a Peppa Pig shirt saying 'My Mummy'. The desperate search continues for four-year-old Gus, who's been missing since Saturday SA Police superintendent Mark Syrus said police are losing hope the little boy will be found alive'We always believe Gus is a tough little country lad,' Syrus said. 'He may be curled up under a bush somewhere, and we're determined to find him.'Police have thrown everything at the search for Gus, including specialist divers to check water tanks and dams, infrared cameras, dogs, ATVs, and drones.Family friend Bill Harbison read a statement on their behalf on Tuesday.'This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened,' it read.'Gus's absence is felt in all of us and we miss him more than words can express. 'Our hearts are aching, and we are holding onto hope that he will be found and returned to us safely.'At this time, we kindly ask for privacy as we focus all our energy on supporting the search and working closely with the police.'