NORTH BEND, Wash. ā It was an unusual wildlife sighting Sunday when four zebras escaped from their trailer and galloped into a Washington neighborhood.
Three of the four black-and-white striped animals were quickly captured, but the fate of the fourth wasnāt immediately known Monday, Washington State Patrol Trooper Rick Johnson said.
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The zebras were being transported from Washington to Montana when the driver took the Interstate 90 exit for North Bend, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Seattle, to secure the trailer.
Thatās when the the zebras bolted.
Witness Dan Barnett of North Bent told KING-TV of Seattle that he was in ādisbelief,ā when he saw the zebras eating grass off the side of the offramp.
He and other drivers helped protect the zebras from the busy nearby interstate, as drivers on the offramp pulled over to āmake a makeshift fenceā to block the animals from the highway, Barnett said.
The zebras then began heading toward town, trotting past brunch patrons at a restaurant near the interstate exit. Soon after, three of the AWOL zebras were in Whitney Blomquistās backyard.
"I called someone and was like, āSo I found the missing zebras, theyāre in my yard. Yeah ā not sure what to do,āā Blomquist said.
The zebras then ran to a neighboring yard, where two were captured with the help of rodeo professionals. The third, the baby of the herd, was corralled later.
Johnson posted photos of the loose zebras on the social platform X. āThis is a first for me and all @wastatepatrol troopers involved,ā he wrote. āCrazy!ā