December 8, 2024
Zebra dies after jogging into fence at Zoo Knoxville

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A zebra died after running into a containment fence on Saturday, according to Zoo Knoxville.

Zoo Knoxville announced the dying of Lydia, a 7-yr-previous Hartmann’s zebra.

According to Zoo Knoxville, very first responders ended up called about a health-related unexpected emergency for an personnel and wanted ambulance entry to the visitor pathway in entrance of the zebra habitat. The zoo’s personnel requested that the ambulance come as a result of the pathway without having any sirens to the restaurant where the staff was found.

“Although the zebra are acclimated to truck and motor vehicle traffic on the support street powering their habitat, they are not accustomed to visitors in that spot,” Zoo Knoxville explained in the information release.

Lydia Zebra
Lydia Zebra. (Courtesy of Zoo Knoxville)

Then the zebras had been reportedly “reactive to the ambulance and [the staff] immediately commenced intervention to go them from the spot of the habitat in proximity to the to start with responders.” The zebras were being serene and an assessment was manufactured for them to stay in the habitat, in accordance to the information launch.

Zoo Knoxville reported about eight minutes passed since the ambulance exited the area and Lydia Zebra “unexpectedly bolted and collided with the containment fence.”

“[The zebras] have a flight response to remaining startled and [Lydia] took off,” claimed Lisa New, president and CEO.

The personnel began unexpected emergency animal protocols by shifting the other zebras into a corral so the staff members could method Lydia Zebra.

Inspite of the response from zoo workers and the veterinarians from the College of Tennessee Higher education of Veterinary Medication (UTCVM), Lydia Zebra was pronounced lifeless at the scene, Zoo Knoxville stated. In accordance to a preliminary necropsy, she died owing to trauma to the neck.

“Our best precedence is the protection of our friends, staff members, and animals. We often drill for emergencies to be ready for every single conceivable circumstance to be certain beneficial outcomes. Sadly, irrespective of all our endeavours yesterday to treatment for our people and our animals, we had a tragic accident take place,” reported New. “While we did almost everything we could to stability the have to have for crisis procedure for our personnel and preserving our zebra stable in the system, we have been however dealing with wild animals that reacted as these types of. As you can envision, this is a really tough scenario for all people and we enjoy the compassion our attendees showed us as this unfolded yesterday.”

Lydia Zebra was one of 4 mountain zebras in the zoo’s herd. She came to the zoo in April 2018.

Zoo Knoxville additional that Wiley, 5-calendar year-previous feminine zebra, collided with a corral fence whilst remaining prepped for a veterinary course of action.

“Sometimes in these situations, in spite of your most effective preparedness, organizing and steps you consider at the time, from time to time accidents continue to manifest,” claimed New.