Why Is That Zebra in Our Front Yard?
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By Bill Hoagland
Maybe you saw the video last week on YouTube—a mature zebra named “Ed” racing through a subdivision in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and then out to the interstate, racing next to cars headed to Nashville. The final video appearance for “Ed” during this week-long episode of “zebra spring break” showed that bad boy entangled in a net under a helicopter, being carried to a horse trailer and hopefully destined for a zoo somewhere.
One homeowner in Murfreesboro said she was glad all the yards in her subdivision had fences–not to keep the zebra out of the yards but to keep the kids in; they all wanted to chase the zebra. This is a humorous take on what happened, but the fact is that there could have been some serious injuries as a result of that zebra roaming the streets of Murfreesboro or the interstate later. And that is because zebras, genetically speaking, are not ready for human companionship and probably never will be.
Over thousands of years, if a horse seemed to accept human control and dominance, that horse was bred to other horses willing to accommodate humans. Eventually, we had a genetic masterpiece—a horse that was automatically inclined to be domesticated. Such was never the case with zebras. Genetically, they continue to have a hunted animal mentality to this day, always on the lookout for lions and hyenas, and always genetically geared to run away at the slightest provocation; if cornered, they will attack, bite and kick with surprising power and skill.
So when Taylor Ford of Murfreesboro bought that zebra because he thought his kids would “get a kick out of it”, he had no idea just how dangerous that kick could have been; zebras can crush a lion’s skull with their kicks, they will go out of their way to kill a dog if they can get to it and they can do a lot of damage with their teeth because once they sink their teeth in, they don’t let go. If you don’t believe it, watch the YouTube video entitled “Police shoot zebra who nearly bit Ohio man’s arm off”, which was posted in 2023. If that graphic video doesn’t make you a believer that zebras are dangerous, I’m not sure sure what will. Here’s a unique idea: maybe we should just leave all the remaining zebras in Africa in their natural environment. They were never “designed” to be confined.
Note: Yes, I am aware of videos in which a trainer is riding a zebra. There are exceptions but not many.
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■ Bill Hoagland has practiced law in Alton for more than 50 years, but he has spent more than 70 years hunting, fishing and generally being in the great outdoors. His wife, Annie, shares his love of the outdoor life. Much of their spare time is spent on their farm in Calhoun County. Bill can be reached at [email protected].
