Spot stripes? What we know about WA’s missing zebra

“Z” the zebra is still zooming through the wild, and a zillion zealous searches have returned zilch.

The fourth zebra remains on the loose after escaping a trailer Sunday on Interstate 90, when her owner stopped on the side of the road to secure the trailer in North Bend. The three other zebras were returned to their trailer. Owner Kristine Keltgen recently bought the zebras and was transporting them from Lewis County to Montana, where she runs a 7-acre petting zoo.

The elusive zebra has spurred a small manhunt (or rather, zebrahunt), a Disney-style narrative among North Bend residents and even the creation of his own song. Here’s what we know about Z, the missing zebra that’s taken Western Washington by storm.

How did a zebra go missing?

The zebra escaped her trailer with three of her kin — two mares (adult females) and a filly (a young female) — when Keltgen, who had been on the road for about two hours, noticed one of the trailer’s floor mats flapping and dragging as she drove east on I-90. She pulled over near Exit 32, but when she opened the door to adjust the mat the four zebras ran out.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Keep them away from the interstate,’” Keltgen said. “Then my next thought was, ‘I need help.’”

Several people stopped to corral the animals, including a rodeo bullfighter and horse trainer couple. The owner later managed to get ahold of two mares and the filly and take them to Montana.

The third mare, Z, was seen by a nearby couple in North Bend when she leapt over a fence and ran into the woods on Sunday. The owner originally reported Z was a stallion, but later photographs confirmed she is a female, the Regional Animal Services of King County said Thursday.

Where is the zebra?

There have been several confirmed and unconfirmed sightings of the zebra, according to officials. Z is believed to still be in the same general area of King County where she escaped Sunday.

The last confirmed sighting was early Wednesday along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, RASKC spokesperson Cameron Satterfield said Wednesday.

How do you search for a zebra?

Animal control officers are patrolling the area where the zebra was spotted, but they’re relying on residents to let them know if they spot her, Satterfield said.

“It’s not really feasible for us to park somebody out there for hours and hours on end,” Satterfield said. “We’re taking those reports and doing regular patrols through the area … We’re relying on the public’s eyes and ears out there because they can be in more places than we are at once.”

At this time, RASKC doesn’t plan to organize a large, formal search for the zebra. The area is too large and some of the terrain in the foothills of the Cascades poses a danger to humans on foot, according to RASKC. And because mild temperatures are expected in the next few days, the agency isn’t concerned about extreme temperatures affecting the zebra’s health.

In Maryland in 2021, two escaped zebras avoided capture for nearly four months.

Can I get a pet zebra?

The rules aren’t black and white. But technically, yes!

Washington state does not regulate zebra ownership, said Becky Elder, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The animal is not listed under the deleterious exotic wildlife law or wild animal law, which prohibit private ownership of some animals like deer, bobcats or wild goats.

“It’s similar to domesticated horses and donkeys,” Elder said. “Nothing would restrict a person from owning them, per [state law].”

However, there are federal laws and regulations concerning transporting exotic animals into the country and ensuring they are vaccinated, Elder said.

State law does say that escaped wildlife is considered a public nuisance, and the owner could be responsible for costs incurred by the state in recovering the animal or addressing any damage to other wildlife or habitat.

Satterfield said the owner hasn’t been cited at this point, and the agency’s “biggest concern right now” is finding Z and getting her to Montana.

What should someone do if they spot the zebra?

If you see the zebra, call 911 immediately. Do not try to approach the zebra or capture it on your own.

Anyone with photos or video clips of the zebra is asked to send them to RASKCMedia@kingcounty.gov to inform animal control officers about where the zebra may be.