Traffic Chaos: Escaped Zebra Gallops Across Tennessee Interstate!

In Tennessee, a zebra has been causing quite the stir. Motorists near Nashville were shocked to see a zebra, originally kept as a pet, running loose and causing chaos on the interstate, as reported by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office on their Facebook page.

The situation grew so hazardous that sheriff’s deputies had to shut down the interstate. The zebra was dodging between cars, traveling across both directions of the highway. The road was later reopened when the zebra vanished into nearby woods.

The zebra was later seen wandering around a local subdivision, according to the area’s ABC news station.

Suzan Parsons, a resident of the subdivision, humorously described the zebra to the news station as “a pony with a big booty.” She observed, “The neighborhood kids were ecstatic; they were running around. They were safe behind fences, but if not, I bet they would have tried to chase after the zebra.”

Another local, Danielle Pitre, encountered the zebra while it was near a rural roadway.

“Out of the blue, this zebra appears. We had to take a second look. Was that really a zebra?” Danielle Pitre recounted to the local NBC station. “It was heading for the highway, and I was just so worried about it. I’m hopeful that it’s safe, gets caught, and returned soon,” she added.

The Escaped Zebra Still on the Loose

The chaos began just a day after the zebra’s owners, who can legally keep such a pet in Tennessee, brought the animal home. The owner mentioned to the media that they had purchased the zebra from a breeder in Texas. He suspects that his cattle might have damaged the fence that was supposed to contain the zebra. To locate the zebra, he is now using drones and other technology.

A recent update from the Sheriff’s Office via Facebook confirmed that the zebra has not yet been captured.

Several expert tracking teams have joined the effort to find the zebra. Additionally, a canine search operation has been planned for Tuesday, June 3, marking the fourth day since the zebra escaped.

Jonathan Beverly, the District 6 Commissioner for Rutherford County, expressed his disbelief over the incident.

“It’s hard to believe I’m actually reporting this, but at this point, not much surprises me anymore,” he shared on Facebook. “There’s a zebra loose near Epps Mill Road, indeed… a real zebra. If spotted, please do not approach it. The authorities are already involved.”