Runaway zebra dies in lake after police chase across golf course

A zebra that escaped and ran amok on a golf course has died after being chased around for hours by a dozen officials and police officers. The animal is believed to have drowned after being shot by tranquilizer dart and plunging into a lake. The two-year-old male zebra escaped from a horse riding club in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on Tuesday. By the following morning, it had wandered onto a nearby golf course in Gifu Prefecture, with TV news footage showing it zipping from hole to hole.

It collapsed in the pond, so we hurriedly pulled it ashore, but its heart had already stopped beating.

Police spokesman Takahiro Taniguch

People were chasing the animal around the golf course, some holding lassos, trying to capture it but with little luck. It was shot with a tranquilizer dart, but then ran into a lake. It was rescued within minutes but its heart had stopped, and attempts to resuscitate it failed, said Takahiro Taniguchi of Tajimi police in Gifu. Although the cause of death was unclear, as it may have died from the tranquilizer medication, it likely drowned, Mr Taniguchi said.

Zebra golf