By Sarah Fertsch
The Cape May County Zoo announced the loss of one of its most beloved residents after a tragic accident left a zebra paralyzed earlier this month.
Gretta, a senior female in the zoo’s zebra herd, died on July 9 after suffering a devastating fall inside the zebra exhibit. According to a statement from the zoo, Gretta was running with her herd when she kicked her hind legs into the air, which is a typical behavior for her species, then lost her footing and collapsed. She was unable to rise.
Staff and veterinarians responded quickly. Sadly, despite their efforts, Gretta succumbed to her injuries later that evening. A necropsy revealed she had broken multiple vertebrae in the fall, leaving her paralyzed.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Gretta, a beloved member of our zoo family, who brought joy to thousands of visitors who came to see her and her foal,” said Andrew Bulakowski, vice director of the Cape May County Board of Commissioners and liaison to the zoo. “We are thankful to the zoo staff for their expertise and care in making her comfortable until the end.”
Gretta’s death came just weeks after she gave birth to a healthy female foal on June 12, her third offspring while living at the zoo. She was one of the senior members of the herd.
In the wild, zebras often live up to anywhere from 20 to 25 years. Zebras in captivity can live much longer, even up to age 40, thanks to access to veterinary care and protection from predators.
The young foal is being closely monitored by zookeepers and veterinarians to ensure she thrives in the absence of her mother.
“Our veterinarians are working closely with staff to ensure Gretta’s foal is well taken care of after losing her mother. A care plan has been crafted and will be updated as the foal continues to grow. She is currently eating and acting normally,” the zoo said in a statement.
Zoo officials also commended their employees and volunteers for their swift response during the emergency, according to statements reported in OCNJ Daily.
“All staff, security, and volunteers’ performance exceeded expectations as they jumped in to help during this emergency. We’d like to thank all of them for their hard work and dedication to the animals,” the press statement explained.
Gretta was a Grant’s zebra, a subspecies of the plains zebra. The subspecies is not currently endangered.
As Andrew Bulakowski stated, “Gretta will be greatly missed.”
