Zebra dies in ‘tragic accident’ at zoo during storm, Rhode Island officials say
A zebra died in “a tragic accident” at a Rhode Island zoo after apparently panicking during a storm, zoo officials said.
The plains zebra, named Samantha, collided “with a fence in her holding area” during the July 3 storm and was killed instantly, Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village said in a July 7 post on Facebook.
The other zebras at the zoo, Tundra and Zipper, “are being closely monitored by our animal care and veterinary teams as they adjust to this sudden loss,” according to zoo officials, who noted that the “sweet” and “shy” Samantha “had a particularly strong bond with” Tundra, her companion.
Samantha came to the zoo in Providence in 2003 and was 24 years old, the zoo said.
After the accident, she underwent a necropsy, which “confirmed that she passed instantaneously,” according to zoo officials.
Zoo officials said they’re “heartbroken by this sudden and unexpected loss.”
This story was originally published July 9, 2025 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Zebra dies in ‘tragic accident’ at zoo during storm, Rhode Island officials say."
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