PROVIDENCE – A plains zebra that was a longtime fixture at Roger Williams Park Zoo has died after suffering severe injuries during the storms that rolled through the area on July 3.
The zoo announced Monday on social media that Samantha, a zebra that first arrived at the zoo in 2003, collided with a fence in its holding area at the zoo during the storm in a panicked state. The zoo says a necropsy confirmed that Samantha “passed instantaneously” after hitting the fence. The animal was 24.
“This was truly a tragic accident, and our zoo family is heartbroken by this sudden and unexpected loss,” the zoo said in a statement. “Samantha was a beloved member of our zebra herd and had a particularly strong bond with her companion Tundra.”
The zoo says its remaining two zebras – Tundra and Zipper – are being closely monitored by veterinary and care teams as they adjust to the sudden loss of Samantha.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.