A pet zebra that had been on the run in Tennessee for a week was apprehended Sunday and was seen dangling in the air beneath a helicopter, whose rescue team earned more than their stripes.
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office announced that Ed the Zebra, whose disappearance sparked a slew of internet memes, had been discovered in a pasture near a subdivision in the Christiana community, just over 40 miles outside of Nashville.
To safely capture Ed, the sheriff’s office had to call in an aviation crew to fly him away.
“Ed was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer,” the sheriff’s office stated.
The sheriff’s office shared a video of Ed safely bundled in a net with his head sticking out as he is carried by helicopter to the trailer.
Ed kept central Tennessee authorities on their toes for a week. After he was reported missing on May 31, deputies found him running alongside Interstate 24. Ed managed to evade them all and escape into a wooded area, even after authorities closed the road.
Several other Ed sightings in Christiana were reported on social media, including a zebra wandering through neighborhoods.
Ed’s impromptu vacation sparked a flurry of memes online, with some picturing him in strange places he might have escaped to, including Southern staples like a Waffle House.
Other memes depicted Ed visiting other Tennessee cities or panhandling by the side of the road. Despite the wishes of his adoring fans, Ed was never able to leave Christiana and is now on his way home.
In late April, a runaway kangaroo took off down an Alabama highway, causing a two-car accident. Unfazed, the kangaroo continued hopping on until it was tranquilized and safely transported back home.
In February, a baby seal was discovered hopping through New Haven, Connecticut. It was taken to Mystic Aquarium to recover, but unfortunately died a few days later.