Runaway pet zebra captured and airlifted home after a week on the run
Ed the Zebra has been filmed flying high as he was airlifted back to his owners in Tennessee after spending more than a week on the run and dodging police by diving into a wood
A runaway pet zebra who gave motorists a shock by darting amidst traffic has now been caught in dramatic video in an airlift back to his owners after more than a week on the run.
Ed the Zebra became an internet star as he evaded attempts by police in Tennessee to recapture him by bolting into woods, but his bid for freedom came to an end on Sunday when he was finally recaptured, said authorities. A video shared by cops on social media showed Ed wrapped in a net with his head sticking out the top as he was carried by a helicopter to a trailer.
Rutherford County Sheriff's Office confirmed the zebra was captured safely by an aviation crew after being located in a pasture near a subdivision in the Christiana community in central Tennessee. 'Ed was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer,' the sheriff's office said in a statement.
Ed had arrived in Christiana on May 30, the sheriff's office said and his owner had reported him missing the next day. The zebra was spotted and filmed running along Interstate 24, forcing deputies to shut the roadway but on that occasion he gave police the slip by heading into woodland.
There were several sightings posted to social media of the striped animal and Ed was filmed trotting through a neighbourhood. 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 full statement by authorities following his recapture read: "Rutherford County Sheriff's Office is happy to report Tango 82 aviation crews located Zebra Ed and returned him to his owner Sunday.
"Ed was located in a pasture located near the Buchanan Estates subdivision near Interstate 24. Sheriff's deputies established command with the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Sunday morning.
"Deputies were on standby for safety of the residents who live nearby. Ed was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer. He became an international sensation through social media memes throughout the country. The zebra originally arrived in Christiana May 30. His owner reported him missing the next day.
"Drivers on Interstate 24 watched him scampering across the highways in both the eastbound and westbound lanes Saturday. He escaped into a wooded area and disappeared until being spotted Thursday. The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office appreciates the THP and TWRA for their assistance in the successful rescue."
The pursuit of Ed came a month after a kangaroo named Sheila shut down a stretch of motorway in Alabama before state troopers and the animal's owner wrangled the wayward marsupial.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said the kangaroo was spotted hopping along the side of Interstate 85 in Macon County, which is between Montgomery and Auburn. The sight snarled traffic, and state troopers shut down both sides of the road.
The animal's owner and troopers were able to capture her, Capt Jeremy J Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. 'When somebody said there was a kangaroo of course I didn't believe it, and nobody believed it. But I'm looking at him."
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Sky News
5 hours ago
- Sky News
Ed the escaped zebra recaptured, Tennessee officials say
A runaway zebra that became an internet sensation has been safely recaptured, US officials have said. Ed the pet zebra was on the loose for more than a week before being found in a pasture in Christiana, a small community in central Tennessee, the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. In a statement, the office said that Ed "was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer" on Sunday. 0:49 A video posted by the sheriff's office showed Ed caught in a net with his head sticking out as he was carried by helicopter to an animal trailer. Ed originally arrived in Christiana, which is around 40 miles southeast of Nashville, on 30 May, but his owner reported him missing the next day. During his time on the run, Ed was seen on Interstate 24 - a major route which runs from southern Illinois to southern Tennessee - "scampering across the highways in both the eastbound and westbound lanes". But before he could be grabbed, "he escaped into a wooded area and disappeared until being spotted Thursday," the sheriff's office said. There were several sightings of him posted to social media, among them Ed trotting around a local neighbourhood. 1:15 His adventures sparked a host of memes, including Ed eating waffles, a southern US favourite, while others had him visiting other Tennessee cities or begging on the side of the road. Ed's 15 minutes of fame came a month after a runaway kangaroo shut down a section of a different Interstate in Alabama, inadvertently causing a two-car crash, before being caught.
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Runaway pet zebra captured and airlifted home after a week on the run
Ed the Zebra has been filmed flying high as he was airlifted back to his owners in Tennessee after spending more than a week on the run and dodging police by diving into a wood A runaway pet zebra who gave motorists a shock by darting amidst traffic has now been caught in dramatic video in an airlift back to his owners after more than a week on the run. Ed the Zebra became an internet star as he evaded attempts by police in Tennessee to recapture him by bolting into woods, but his bid for freedom came to an end on Sunday when he was finally recaptured, said authorities. A video shared by cops on social media showed Ed wrapped in a net with his head sticking out the top as he was carried by a helicopter to a trailer. Rutherford County Sheriff's Office confirmed the zebra was captured safely by an aviation crew after being located in a pasture near a subdivision in the Christiana community in central Tennessee. 'Ed was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer,' the sheriff's office said in a statement. Ed had arrived in Christiana on May 30, the sheriff's office said and his owner had reported him missing the next day. The zebra was spotted and filmed running along Interstate 24, forcing deputies to shut the roadway but on that occasion he gave police the slip by heading into woodland. There were several sightings posted to social media of the striped animal and Ed was filmed trotting through a neighbourhood. 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 full statement by authorities following his recapture read: "Rutherford County Sheriff's Office is happy to report Tango 82 aviation crews located Zebra Ed and returned him to his owner Sunday. "Ed was located in a pasture located near the Buchanan Estates subdivision near Interstate 24. Sheriff's deputies established command with the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Sunday morning. "Deputies were on standby for safety of the residents who live nearby. Ed was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer. He became an international sensation through social media memes throughout the country. The zebra originally arrived in Christiana May 30. His owner reported him missing the next day. "Drivers on Interstate 24 watched him scampering across the highways in both the eastbound and westbound lanes Saturday. He escaped into a wooded area and disappeared until being spotted Thursday. The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office appreciates the THP and TWRA for their assistance in the successful rescue." The pursuit of Ed came a month after a kangaroo named Sheila shut down a stretch of motorway in Alabama before state troopers and the animal's owner wrangled the wayward marsupial. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said the kangaroo was spotted hopping along the side of Interstate 85 in Macon County, which is between Montgomery and Auburn. The sight snarled traffic, and state troopers shut down both sides of the road. The animal's owner and troopers were able to capture her, Capt Jeremy J Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. 'When somebody said there was a kangaroo of course I didn't believe it, and nobody believed it. But I'm looking at him."
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Bizarre moment ‘Ed the Zebra' airlifted by HELICOPTER in a giant net after escaping owner & going on runaway rampage
THIS is the moment a runaway zebra was airlifted by helicopter in a giant net after a week-long rampage. Ed the Zebra was finally captured Sunday after being spotted in a pasture in Christiana, Tennessee. 4 4 4 Footage shows the black-and-white striped escape artist — head poking through the netting — being gently airlifted above treetops as he's flown back to safety. The bizarre chopper rescue came after Ed, a newly acquired pet zebra, broke free from his owner's hom just one day after arriving on May 30. In a statement, the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said: 'Ed was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer.' Ed became a local legend and viral sensation as he dashed across busy highways, ducked into wooded areas, and even starred in a slew of internet memes. One had him dining at Waffle House, another showed him panhandling on the side of the road. Authorities said Ed was spotted trotting along Interstate 24, where deputies were forced to shut down traffic to prevent accidents. Despite the chaos, the striped fugitive slipped away once more, vanishing into the trees. Multiple sightings followed, with social media sleuths and neighborhood residents reporting zebra sightings like they were tracking Bigfoot. At one point, Ed was filmed casually trotting through a suburban street like he owned the place. China zoo slammed for painting donkeys black and white to look like zebras in ANOTHER 'fake animal' gaffe Rutherford County Sheriff's deputies finally caught a break when drone surveillance located Ed grazing in a field on Friday. But with crowds gathering and cameras rolling, officials pleaded for space to complete the rescue. 'The zebra's owner reported the presence of people and cameras scaring the zebra and potentially harming the efforts to secure the zebra,' read a post from the Sheriff's Office. 'Please avoid the area to allow the safe recovery of the zebra.' With the help of a veterinarian, aviation crews were able to secure Ed in a net and hoist him into the air for his long-awaited return. 'We don't want to scare the zebra,' said Sheriff's Cpl. White. 'We need time to get him to calm down.' Exactly why the aerial option was chosen remains unclear—but after eight days of zebra-induced mayhem, officials likely weren't taking any chances. Just before Ed's airborne return, a kangaroo named Sheila brought traffic to a standstill in Alabama after pulling a similar stunt. Sheila was spotted hopping along Interstate 85 in Macon County, sending drivers into a frenzy. Authorities had to shut down both sides of the highway to avoid collisions. 'When somebody said there was a kangaroo of course I didn't believe it, and nobody believed it. But I'm looking at him,' said Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson in a now-viral Facebook Live video. State troopers and Sheila's owner eventually wrangled the marsupial without injury. But the sight of a kangaroo on a Southern freeway had already left its mark—and its memes. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency confirmed the incident, saying the kangaroo was safely captured after creating a brief but chaotic stretch of traffic mayhem.
