A female zebra has died at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium after officials said she suffered fatal injuries from colliding with a separation gate within her habitat.
The zoo called Paula the zebra’s death a “tragic accident” and said that there was no evidence of any outside disturbances, altercations, or health concerns among the remaining herd of zebras. There will be a necropsy conducted on Paula to help shed more light on what injuries caused her passing, the zoo said.
“Paula was cherished for her spirited personality and the joy she brought to guests and staff alike,” the zoo said in a Facebook post announcing her death. “Her passing is a difficult loss for all of us, especially the Heart of Africa animal care team, who worked so closely with her every day.”
As a result of Paula’s death, the zoo said they have added new visual barriers and additional safeguards for the rest of the herd. Jen Fields, the zoo’s director of communication, said the zoo has lined the enclosure with additional fencing to create “stronger visual barriers” and enhance the boundaries of the enclosure.
Fields said that caregivers do not know how fast Paula was moving when she collided into the gate, which separates the zoo’s outdoor yards.
This story was updated to add comment from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ‘Paula’ the zebra dies after sustaining injuries from colliding with gate, Columbus Zoo says
Reporting by Shahid Meighan, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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