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Zebra at Rhode Island zoo dies in ‘tragic accident’ during intense thunderstorms
The 24-year-old zebra had been at the Roger Williams Park Zoo since 2003.
A zebra who lived at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence for more than two decades died last week in a “tragic accident” as a storm buffeted the region, the zoo said.
Samantha, a 24-year-old plains zebra, died last Thursday.
“It appears that Samantha panicked during the storm that occurred on the evening of July 3rd and suffered a fatal injury after colliding with a fence in her holding area; a necropsy confirmed that she passed instantaneously,” the zoo wrote on social media.
The zoo’s zebras “were all inside their holding area when this tragedy occurred,” the organization said in a comment.
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Last week, intense thunderstorms swept over parts of Rhode Island, downing massive trees and reportedly leaving more than 50,000 people without power.
Zoo staff are monitoring its remaining two zebras as they adjust to Samantha’s death. She had been at the zoo since 2003, the zoo wrote.
“Samantha was a beloved member of our zebra herd and had a particularly strong bond with her companion Tundra. … Samantha was known for her sweet, yet shy personality,” the zoo said.
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