SEATTLE — A zebra that had been roaming the foothills of Western Washington on its hooves for days was captured Friday evening, about a week after it escaped with three other zebras from a trailer near Seattle.
Local residents and animal control staff corralled the zebra, named Shag, in the community of Riverbend, about 30 miles east of Seattle, King County Regional Animal Services said on its website.
“The zebra appeared to be in good health despite its nearly week-long adventure in the forest,” the agency wrote.
The shag was one of four zebras that escaped while being transported from Washington to Montana last Sunday. The driver had just taken the Interstate 90 exit bound for North Bend, in the Cascade foothills about 30 miles east of Seattle, to secure the trailer when the animals were thrown out and residents and drivers sped into the countryside. The hands were surprised.
The three animals were captured shortly after becoming trapped in a pasture. However, the fourth horse (a mare originally named “Z”) jumped over the fence and disappeared. Shug's adventures quickly gained public attention, with the animal appearing everywhere from riding ferries across Puget Sound to circling his base at T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners. Social media spawned his meme.
However, there were more reliable sightings elsewhere. Some area residents spotted Shug on trail cameras, which had recently captured cougars in the area, which caused some concern.
Early Friday morning, King County officials closed a trail access point along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail in the Boxley Creek Natural Area where zebras appear to be frequent. People trying to see the zebra there may have spooked it, making it difficult to recapture it, they said. A feeding zone was set up to pacify the animals and bring them to the rescue.
Owner Kristin Koertgen previously told The Seattle Times that she bought the zebra in Lewis County, Washington, and took it to a petting zoo she runs near Anaconda in southwestern Montana. She had been on the road for about two hours when she noticed one of her trailer floor mats flapping and dragging behind her. When she opened the door to adjust the mat, a zebra jumped out. Several people, including a rodeo clown and a horse trainer, stopped to help corral the animal, but Shug managed to escape their attempts.
King County Regional Animal Services said the shag will be transported to Montana to join the rest of the zebra herd.