Previously missing zebra seen in exclusive images

UPDATE: 5/4/24

A zebra mare that had been on the loose in the woods near Snoqualmie and North Bend since escaping a transport truck Sunday was safely captured Friday evening. Head here for more on the recovery of the animal.

ORIGINAL STORY:

In an exclusive update — including photo and video footage — from North Bend residents, a zebra remains on the lam three days after a dazzle of four zebras got loose on Interstate 90 heading east near exit 32, eluding both law enforcement and animal control services.

Originally, the King County Regional Animal Services (RASKC) said the four zebras that got loose were composed of a stallion, two mares and a filly. However, on Thursday, RASKC said it is actually three mares and a filly.

The zebra on the loose, called “Z,” is one of the mares.

Z was last seen Wednesday around 7 p.m. near the Snoqualmie Valley trail, according to RASKC.

The four zebras were being transported back to their owner in Montana before making their escape when the driver stopped to secure the trailer. By Sunday night, three zebras, including a foal, were cornered and “wrangled,” according to the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) and King County Animal Control. All four were loose for hours Sunday, roaming North Bend.

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Video from a resident’s trail camera — at 11:56 a.m. Monday — showed the missing zebra wandering near North Bend on Monday.

A resident’s trail camera captured the missing zebra on video at 11:56 a.m. Monday near North Bend pic.twitter.com/clgIIx5V2R

— MyNorthwest (@Mynorthwest) April 30, 2024

The resident who provided the video and photos was out on horseback with friends looking for the zebra. He provided MyNorthwest another exclusive image of the missing zebra (the first image in the attached gallery) nearly a day later at 8:26 a.m. 

The resident also noted a bear was seen on the same trail cam yesterday, and cougars have gone by in the previous week.

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“This is a first for me and all WSP troopers involved,” WSP Trooper Rick Johnson said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Johnson was one of the first law enforcement officers called to the scene Saunday. “The community has come together to help.”

One resident even helped corral the three zebras alongside Animal Control.

“A good Samaritan was able to corral them in their horse pasture nearby in North Bend but, unfortunately, one of the zebras jumped the fence before they were able to get them all back into the trailer,” Cameron Satterfield with King County Regional Animal Services told KIRO Newsradio. “This is definitely not a common occurrence for our animal control officers.”

KCSO stated it is not clear how the animals escaped the truck’s trailer. The incident occurred about a mile east of the North Bend Premium Outlet Mall.

“I mean I capture bears on my cameras all the time, but zebras? No,” a neighbor who spotted the roaming zebras told KIRO 7. “I keep talking about it just because I have to convince myself it really happened.”

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The three recaptured zebras, a little spooked but healthy, are on their way back to Montana. Animal control officers are patrolling the area, asking area residents and travelers to keep a look out for the missing zebra.

This is a developing story, check back for updates

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest; Heather Bosch, KIRO Newsradio; KIRO 7

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.