Four zebras escaped a trailer in North Bend, Washington, on Sunday near I-90 and community members were shocked at the sight of them.
According to the Washington State Patrol (WSP), the incident happened around 1:00 p.m. when the zebras were being transported, King 5 reported.
Law enforcement officers and the public in Washington state came together Sunday to take a rare hazard off the roads: Runaway zebras. https://t.co/f9SHEM3LOO
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 29, 2024
The driver had pulled over to secure the trailer when the animals escaped.
“We are here in North Bend and somebody has lost their zebras,” a man recording the animals trotting down the roadway says as he films the scene.
The zebras then turn onto what appears to be a home’s driveway before moving out of sight:
Four zebras went on the loose and ran between cars in North Bend, Washington on Sunday after escaping from a trailer, authorities said. Three of the four zebras were successfully wrangled. pic.twitter.com/SgedabqYjY
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 29, 2024
WSP officials said three of the zebras were captured but one of them was still on the run. According to King 5, a witness said when drivers saw the group they stopped and pulled their cars close to each other to form a makeshift fence. Their efforts prevented the animals from making their way onto the interstate and instead pushed them into a nearby neighborhood.
Alex Campo, who is an employee at a restaurant off I-90, said, “I’ve only ever seen them in a zoo, so that was a first.”
The zebras’ owner was transporting the animals to an animal sanctuary in Montana, according to Fox 13.
“I called someone, I was like ‘I found the missing zebras. They’re in my yard,’” Whitney Blomquist told the outlet.
“They like looked right at me. And I was like ‘Okay, don’t make noise. I think I gotta be quiet.’ You know, you learn with a bear. You make a lot of noise, you gotta make yourself big. I’m like with zebras no one’s taught me what to do when you’re like approached by zebras,” she added:
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Neighbors, officers, and rodeo professionals helped corral three of the zebras and get them to safety. Among the group was a baby zebra who ended up in a neighbor’s back yard.
🚨#BREAKING: Watch as four zebras lead state troopers and police officers on a chase after escaping when their driver stopped to secure the trailer.”⁰
📌#NorthBend | #Washington⁰
Watch as law enforcement and state troopers go on a zebra pursuit after four privately owned zebras… pic.twitter.com/MBiBaXPSjW— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) April 28, 2024
More images show the zebras standing near a roadway as people stopped their cars to help keep them out of danger:
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Fox 13 noted authorities are still trying to locate the fourth zebra.
