Zebra dies after running into fence post at Wisconsin zoo, officials say
'He just took that corner too fast and lost his footing'
MILWAUKEE, Wisc. -- A zebra died after a freak accident at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
The 5-year-old Zebra, named Stuart was in the Impala Plains habit exploring and chasing other animals when he ran into a fence post, according to a report from WISN.
"He was out running around. The impala were out running around with him too, he just took that corner too fast and lost his footing," said Tim Wild the zoo's curator of large mammals.
The animal care team responded but his injuries were too severe, according to Wild.
Zoo staff are still awaiting test results to determine how Stuart's cause of death, Wild said.
Stuart is now the sixth large zoo animal to die so far this year.
In February, Stella the jaguar was euthanized after health issues. In March, Gordy the groundhog died, followed by two giraffes. Then in April, a 26-year-old camel called Sanchi died.
"Sometimes they come in groups like this. It's unfortunate, but a lot of the animals that have died here this year have been very old, died of old age, related, things that we knew were coming," said Wild. "It's when we have a surprise like this, a disease or an accident, then it's just kind of odd."
Stuart was born in 2018 at a zoo in Minnesota and had been at the Milwaukee County Zoo since 2019.
"This tragic accident is a heartbreaking loss for the animal care team, and for everyone who cares about the zoo's animals," the zoo said on its website. "The focus now is on the wellbeing of the impalas and the ostriches who share the habitat. The impalas were brought inside for the remainder of the day, and the ostriches returned to the yard."
