Escaped zebra captured near Seattle after gallivanting around Cascade mountain foothills for days

SEATTLE — A zebra that has been hoofing done nan foothills of occidental Washington for days was recaptured Friday evening, astir a week aft she escaped pinch 3 different zebras from a trailer adjacent Seattle.

Local residents and animal power officers corralled nan zebra named “Shug” successful nan organization of Riverbend, astir 30 miles eastbound of Seattle, nan Regional Animal Services of King County wrote connected its website.

“The zebra seemed to beryllium successful bully information contempt her astir week-long escapade successful nan woods,” nan agency wrote.

Shug was 1 of 4 zebras that escaped arsenic they were being transported from Washington to Montana past Sunday. The driver had taken nan Interstate 90 exit for North Bend, successful nan Cascade upland foothills astir 30 miles eastbound of Seattle, to unafraid nan trailer, erstwhile nan animals sewage loose — astonishing residents and drivers arsenic they galloped into a agrarian neighborhood.

Three were quickly captured aft being corralled successful a pasture. But nan 4th — a mare who was initially dubbed “Z” — hopped a obstruction and disappeared. Shug’s escapade quickly captured nationalist attention, spawning societal media memes that placed nan animal everyplace from riding a ferry crossed Puget Sound to rounding nan bases astatine T-Mobile Park, location of nan Seattle Mariners.

But location were much reliable sightings elsewhere: Some area residents spotted Shug connected their way cameras, and that sparked immoderate concerns since nan cameras besides precocious captured cougars successful nan area.

Earlier Friday, King County officials closed disconnected way entree points on nan Snoqualmie Valley Trail successful nan Boxley Creek Natural Area, wherever nan zebra seemed to beryllium frequenting. People trying to spot nan zebra location whitethorn person been spooking it, making it harder to recapture, they said. Feeding zones were group up to thief coax nan animal retired for a rescue.

Owner Kristine Keltgen antecedently told The Seattle Times she bought nan zebras successful Lewis County, Washington, and was bringing them to a petting zoo she runs adjacent Anaconda, successful southwestern Montana. She had been connected nan roadworthy for astir 2 hours erstwhile she noticed 1 of nan trailer’s level mats was flapping and dragging down her. When she opened nan doorway to set nan mat, nan zebras ran out. Several group stopped to thief corral nan animals, including a rodeo comedian and equine trainers, but Shug had managed to elude those attempts.

Shug will now beryllium transported to Montana to subordinate nan remainder of nan dazzle, aliases group, of zebras, Regional Animal Services of King County said.