“Zebra Ed,” who escaped in Tennessee, has been safely returned to his owner, thanks to a Texas aviation crew’s efforts in locating and recovering him.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. — A viral sensation with stripes and four legs is back where it belongs — and a Texas-based aviation crew played a key role in the rescue.
“Zebra Ed,” who captured attention after he escaped in Tennessee and was seen running along Interstate 24, has been safely returned to his owner, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
Ed was found in a pasture near the Buchanan Estates subdivision in Christiana, Tennessee. He had been on the run since May 31.
Over the weekend, drivers on I-24 saw the zebra darting across both directions of the highway. He later disappeared into a wooded area and wasn’t spotted again until Thursday.
By Sunday morning, sheriff’s deputies had established a command post with the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Ground crews stayed in place while Tango 82 Aviation teams from Fredericksburg, Texas, took to the skies to help locate and recover Ed.
Once located, Zebra Ed was safely airlifted by helicopter and flown back to a waiting animal trailer. No injuries were reported.