Zebra in Tennessee captured after more than a week on the run: Watch video
Ed, the runaway zebra in Tennessee, who became the talk of the town, or rather the country, and sparked a barrage of memes has been caught after being on the loose for more than a week.
The striped equid, nicknamed “Ed” by the social media users tracking his escapades," was finally captured in a field in Christiana, about 45 miles south of Nashville, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook, adding "Ed was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer." News Channel 5 reported the zebra was hit with a tranquilizer dart and strapped in before it was airlifted via helicopter to be returned to captivity and seen by a veterinarian.
Video footage from the rescue operation shows the zebra, wrapped in net with just his head poking out, soaring through the air, as he is carried by the helicopter.
Video shows zebra being airlifted after capture
Multiple agencies including the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency were involved in the operation, the sheriff's office said, and deputies were on standby for the safety of nearby residents.
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How did the pet zebra escape? And when?
The exact details surrounding the pet zebra's escape, including when, where and how the ordeal began, are not immediately clear.
The pet zebra belonged to a couple who told law enforcement they "obtained the zebra Friday night, which escaped the following day."
How long had Ed been on the loose?
“Ed” had been on the run since May 31, just a day after it arrived at its new home in Christiana.
In the days since its escape, the zebra was spotted wandering around various neighborhoods and even "wreaked havoc" on a parkway near Interstate 24 in the city of Murfreesboro, so much so "deputies had to close the interstate because the zebra was running through traffic on both sides of the highway," Rutherford County Sheriff's Office Lt. Kenneth Barrett had said. Ed then "escaped into a wooded area and disappeared" until he was spotted again on June 5. Law enforcement officials had been tracking the zebra's whereabouts with a drone.
Is it legal to own a zebra in Tennessee?
As surprising as it may sounds, it is legal to own a zebra as a pet in Tennessee, according to The Tennessean. Zebras are classified as Class III animals that do not require any special permits. Other unusual animals that can be legally owned in the state include ferrets and chinchillas, llamas, alpacas, giraffes, bison, antelopes and marsupials like kangaroos.
Contributing: Amaris Encinas, Natalie Neysa Alund and Hadley Hitson, Paste BN / Austin Hornbostel, The Tennessean