Seattle, WA
Escaped zebra captured near Seattle after gallivanting around Cascade mountain foothills for days
SEATTLE (AP) — A zebra that has been hoofing through the foothills of western Washington for days was recaptured Friday evening, nearly a week after she escaped with three other zebras from a trailer near Seattle.
Local residents and animal control officers corralled the zebra named “Shug” in the community of Riverbend, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Seattle, the Regional Animal Services of King County wrote on its website.
“The zebra seemed to be in good condition despite her nearly week-long adventure in the woods,” the agency wrote.
Shug was one of four zebras that escaped as they were being transported from Washington to Montana last Sunday. The driver had taken the Interstate 90 exit for North Bend, in the Cascade mountain foothills about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Seattle, to secure the trailer, when the animals got loose — surprising residents and drivers as they galloped into a rural neighborhood.
Three were quickly captured after being corralled in a pasture. But the fourth — a mare who was initially dubbed “Z” — hopped a fence and disappeared. Shug’s adventure quickly captured public attention, spawning social media memes that placed the animal everywhere from riding a ferry across Puget Sound to rounding the bases at T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners.
But there were more credible sightings elsewhere: Some area residents spotted Shug on their trail cameras, and that sparked some concerns since the cameras also recently captured cougars in the area.
Earlier Friday, King County officials closed off trail access points along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail in the Boxley Creek Natural Area, where the zebra seemed to be frequenting. People trying to see the zebra there may have been spooking it, making it harder to recapture, they said. Feeding zones were set up to help coax the animal out for a rescue.
Owner Kristine Keltgen previously told The Seattle Times she bought the zebras in Lewis County, Washington, and was bringing them to a petting zoo she runs near Anaconda, in southwestern Montana. She had been on the road for about two hours when she noticed one of the trailer’s floor mats was flapping and dragging behind her. When she opened the door to adjust the mat, the zebras ran out. Several people stopped to help corral the animals, including a rodeo clown and horse trainers, but Shug had managed to elude those attempts.
Shug will now be transported to Montana to join the rest of the dazzle, or group, of zebras, Regional Animal Services of King County said.
(Saturday scene at Alki – photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
After a couple days of advance notice, the Heat Advisory alert from the National Weather Service is about to take effect, starting at 11 this morning. The NWS isn’t expecting record temperatures, but hot enough:
Hot conditions with high temperatures up to 85 to 90 degrees and low temperatures down to 60 to 65 degrees expected. This will pose a moderate risk of heat-related illness.
This is just expected today and tomorrow, with the advisory currently set to expire at 5 am Tuesday (June 16).
COOLING CENTER AT THE Y: If it does heat up past 90, the YMCA (WSB sponsor) announced today that it’s offering cooling-center options:
During this heat wave, if temperatures exceed 90 degrees, YMCA of Greater Seattle branches will be open during their regular operating hours for all members of the community to enjoy as Cooling Centers — safe, welcoming spaces where everyone is invited (no membership needed).
Y members continue to have full access to all amenities throughout the day, including pools, workout equipment, and other services — even during Cooling Center hours.
The YMCA has long served as a trusted community hub, and during times of extreme weather, we are committed to being a resource for everyone — not just our members.
The Y’s hours in the West Seattle Triangle (3622 SW Snoqualmie) and Fauntleroy (9140 California SW) can be found here.
Seattle, WA
WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: Soundgarden co-founder Kim Thayil’s book-signing session at Easy Street Records
(Photos by Jason Grotelueschen for WSB)
Big line outside Easy Street Records tonight in The Junction – not for a show, but for an author … who happens to be a Grammy-winning, Hall of Fame-inducted rock musician. Soundgarden‘s founding guitarist Kim Thayil came to Easy Street to sign his just-released memoir “A Screaming Life.” Of course a photo op with Easy Street proprietor Matt Vaughan was in order:
And then Thayil got to meet the book-buying fans:
As we mentioned in a preview, “A Screaming Life” has a West Seattle writer as co-author, Adem Tepedelen:
Easy Street has several special events most weeks – you can browse what’s coming up here.
2:55 PM: Thanks for the tips (and thanks to Bill for the photo): That collision is blocking the heart of the 35th/Fauntleroy intersection at the southwest end of the West Seattle Bridge. Checking on injuries. Looking at the live camera, westbound traffic on Fauntleroy appears to be getting by, but not northbound traffic on 35th.
3:18 PM: One lane is now moving northbound on 35th, and one of the cars has been removed, while cleanup continues around the other one.
3:34 PM: The second car has been towed.
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