Beloved Zebra, Who Recently Gave Birth at Cape May Zoo, Abruptly Dies

Officials with the Cape May County Zoo have announced the passing of one of the zebra herd, Gretta.

According to a press release, on July 9th, Gretta took off running across the exhibit with the rest of the herd. While running, Gretta turned and kicked her hind legs in the air, a typical zebra action, and after landing, she fell to the ground and could not get up.

Staff members were alerted and arrived within minutes. Veterinarians cared for her for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening but she later passed.

Necropsy Results

A necropsy was conducted and it revealed that when Gretta landed, she broke multiple vertebrae and was fully paralyzed below that point.

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Gretta Recently Gave Birth

Gretta was in the news just last week when it was announced that she and Ziggy welcomed a new zebra into the world. Zoo officials say they are working to make sure Gretta's foal is well taken care of.

Cape May County Commissioner Andrew Bulakowski, who serves as the liaison to the Parks and Zoo, said in a press release,

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. We are thankful to the Zoo staff for their expertise and care in making her comfortable until the end. Gretta will be greatly missed.

 

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Zoo and Park Hours

The Cape May County Parks and Zoo are open daily. The Parks are open from 7 AM to dusk, and the Zoo is open from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM.