A runaway zebra in Tennessee that captured the internet’s attention has finally been apprehended after evading capture for over a week, authorities announced on Sunday.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
Known as Ed the Zebra, the animal was safely caught in a pasture near a residential area in the Christiana community of central Tennessee. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the capture, noting that aviation teams were involved in securing the zebra.
“Ed was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Video posted by the sheriff’s office shows Ed wrapped in a net with his head sticking out as he is carried by the helicopter to the trailer.
Footage from June 8 released by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office shows the moment the zebra, which had managed to avoid being caught for several days, was safely airlifted after straying from its owner.
(Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
Ed arrived in Christiana on May 30, the sheriff’s office said. His owner reported him missing the next day.
The zebra was spotted and filmed running along Interstate 24, forcing deputies to shut the roadway. But Ed escaped into a wooded area.
There were several sightings posted to social media. Ed was filmed trotting through a neighborhood.
The zebra quickly became the subject of internet memes. One fake posting showed Ed dining at a Waffle House, a southern staple. Others had him visiting other Tennessee cities or panhandling on the side of the road.
The pursuit of Ed came a month after a runway kangaroo shut down a section of Alabama interstate.
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