Watch: Runaway pet zebra airlifted after great escape in Tennessee

Runaway pet zebra airlifted by helicopter

Ed the celebrity pet zebra made quite an impression on his new town in Tennessee. He ran away a day after he arrived in Christiana and remained on the loose for more than a week, even forcing interstate closures as he trotted across highways.

A "celebrity" pet zebra that ran away a day after arriving at his new home in Tennessee was found after being on the lam for more than a week. 

According to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, Ed the zebra quickly became an "international sensation" as authorities searched for him in Christiana, a community in central Tennessee. Video shows him being airlifted by helicopter to a field with a trainer waiting for him after he was located Sunday.

Finding Ed the Zebra 

What we know:

Ed arrived in Christiana on May 30, and his owner reported him missing the next day. 

There were several Ed sightings in the following days: Ed was spotted running across Interstate 24 and forced deputies to shut down the highway. He escaped into a wooded area and was also seen trotting through a neighborhood. 

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The zebra quickly became the subject of internet memes. One fake posting showed Ed dining at a Waffle House, a southern staple. Others had him visiting other Tennessee cities or panhandling on the side of the road.

Ed the Zebra is airlifted after his great escape (Rutherford County Sheriff's Office)

On Sunday, Ed was captured in a pasture and airlifted "back to a waiting animal trainer," the sheriff’s office said on Facebook. 

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Video posted by the sheriff's office shows Ed wrapped in a net with his head sticking out as he is carried by the helicopter to the trailer.

What we don't know:

It’s unclear why Ed’s owner has a pet zebra, or how Ed escaped so soon after his arrival.