Escaped Zebra’s Week On The Loose Ends With Extraordinary Rescue Via Helicopter Airlift

Jul 09, 2025 by apost team

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It’s not every day that residents of Tennessee spot a zebra trotting through their neighborhoods. But for a week in late May 2025, that’s precisely what happened when a male pet zebra escaped his owner’s home and spent over a week on the loose. His unexpected adventure ended with a helicopter-led rescue effort that was as daring as it was unconventional.

The zebra, named Ed, was the subject of much conversation, memes and internet fun in the time since his escape, the long search for him and the sightings that both alarmed and entertained residents of the community. Sightings poured in as the striped fugitive roamed roadsides, wooded areas, and even residential lawns. Wildlife officials and animal rescuers were concerned not just for public safety but for the zebra’s well-being in unfamiliar and potentially dangerous surroundings. Unsurprisingly, his eventual rescue was highly publicized, making him popular across the country.

According to reports, the now-famous zebra arrived in the town of Christiana on May 30 and disappeared the following day from his unnamed owner’s residence. Ed was eventually captured on June 8. In the time between his escape and capture, Ed was “wreaking havoc on Interstate 24,” according to a police Facebook report. Ed hilariously evaded police in their attempts to capture him by bolting into nearby woods, and his sightings inspired many funny internet memes. Additionally, the African equine also inspired culinary art and AI-generated songs, keeping the public amused. 

The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office posted a video on their Facebook page of Ed being airlifted and dangling in the air. The video was accompanied by a lengthy caption detailing the rescue. The office wrote:

“Ed was located in a pasture located near the Buchanan Estates subdivision near Interstate 24.”

The announcement was made that the striking animal had been returned to its owner after the rescue. It said efforts to retrieve the runaway zebra were complicated by her agility and the dense wilderness, keeping the search going for over 10 days. The police and the community were relieved to have the animal back with its owner. 

“Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) is happy to report Tango 82 aviation crews located Zebra Ed and returned him to his owner Sunday,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement on Facebook.

In the statement, they elaborated on the details of the rescue.

“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,” the statement explained.

Ed’s disappearance and rescue come in the wake of another exotic animal escape in the country. A kangaroo named Shelia forced the shutdown of a motorway in Alabama before being captured by its owners and troopers. As to whether it is legal to keep a zebra like Ed as a pet, The Tennessean reported that it is legal and does not require any special permits. Zebras are classified as Class III animals. However, according to the Library of Congress, zebras have an “unpredictable nature and tendency to attack (that) preclude them from being good candidates for domestication.”

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What do you think of this? Are you also relieved that Ed the zebra was found and returned to his owner? Let us know your thoughts, and don’t hesitate to pass this on to your loved ones and any animal lovers you know!