Heartbreak as beloved zebra named Zipper in Rhode Island zoo is killed by ANOTHER animal inside its enclosure

A beloved zebra named Zipper was killed in an apparent attack by another animal inside her enclosure at a Rhode Island zoo.

Zipper, a 27-year-old zebra at Roger Williams Park Zoo, was found last week with a critical wound ‘presumably inflicted by a habitat mate,’ the zoo said in a Facebook statement. 

‘Ultimately, despite everyone’s best efforts, the injury was not survivable, and our veterinary and animal care teams had to make the compassionate decision to euthanize her,’ the statement read.

‘She will be dearly missed by all who loved and cared for her,’ it added.

The zoo did not identify the animal responsible, but said Zipper lived in a ‘mixed species habitat’ alongside wildebeest and Watusi cattle, famed for their massive horns. 

Officials said they take ‘matters involving animal wellbeing very seriously’ and are now investigating what happened inside the enclosure.

‘Our animal care team is reviewing the incident and will make any necessary adjustments to help reduce the risk of a similar situation in the future,’ the zoo said.

The animal care, veterinary and operations teams launched a ‘herculean effort’ to bring in specialists capable of performing large animal anesthesia and emergency surgery on Zipper. 

But tragically, her injuries were too severe. 

Hundreds poured into the comments to mourn Zipper, one of two zebras who had been beloved fixtures at the Rhode Island zoo for more than two decades. 

‘Oh no, I’m so so sorry. Zipper was a sweetheart. I remember working with her as a keeper intern way back when. I remember how we were taught to tell her apart; her stripes look like they unzippered down her legs,’ one comment read.

Another said: ‘The story of Zipper is heart wrenching. I am so sorry!’

‘My heart goes out to her keepers and vet staff. Zipper was definitely a special lady. Rest in peace sweet girl,’ said a third.

One user added: ‘Oh nooooo! Sorry for your loss! As I get older seeing all the animals I grew up with over the years keep passing, especially over the last 2 years, makes me very sad.’

Jill, Zipper’s primary keeper, shared her own memories of the zebra in Wednesday’s statement, recalling her ‘quiet confidence’ that made her an immediate favorite among the staff. 

And Zipper had one particular weakness: carrots. Jill said that while the zoo’s other hoofstock were ‘mostly skittish,’ Zipper had learned that ‘where there are people, there are carrots.’

‘In her 27 years, she charmed countless guests and staff members, with the caveat that “she’s friendly, but she isn’t necessarily gentle,”‘ the zookeeper said.

‘Her reasonable, albeit sometimes stubborn, presence will be enormously missed in the hoofstock yard (especially for all the “help” she gave the keepers with leaf cleanup as the fall approaches),’ she added.

But Jill said no one will miss Zipper more than Tundra, whom she described as her ‘little sister.’

She said Tundra was fiercely loyal to Zipper, ‘never shifting inside or starting a meal until Zipper was ready to do the same.’

‘The plains team and her fellow yard mates will not be the same without her,’ the statement read.

‘Because herd animals rely heavily on their social group, Tundra, our remaining zebra, is currently under close observation,’ it added. ‘We are actively working to bring new zebra companions to support her.’ 

Zipper’s death comes more than a year after Samantha, another zebra at Roger Williams Park Zoo, died suddenly during a storm, the zoo said in a social media post at the time. 

On the evening of July 3, 2025, 24-year-old Samantha panicked as severe thunderstorms swept through the area, causing her to collide with a fence in her holding pen. 

A necropsy confirmed that Samantha died instantly, the zoo said, leaving Tundra and Zipper behind. 

Keepers said the two zebras were closely monitored by the animal care team following her death.