An American remains hospitalized on Tuesday after being seriously bitten in the arm this weekend by his zebra, which had to be put down by the police, authorities said in Ohio, in the north of the United States.
The police had gone to the scene on Sunday afternoon, called by a 72-year-old man who said "he had
been bitten in the arm by a zebra
", according to a police report obtained by AFP.
As an officer drove up to the victim, who was bleeding profusely, a male zebra with "
very hostile demeanor
" charged at him, he explains in this document from the Pickaway County Sheriff's Office.
The initial police report said the victim's arm appeared to have been "
dismembered
", and an officer said he had tourniqueted him, but the exact nature of his injuries is unclear.
Protective behavior towards females
The animal, "
aggressive
", remained close to the police, who tried to scare him away.
Footage from a body camera of one of the officers present notably shows a man chasing him with a stick.
The zebra had managed to get within a few feet of the officers when an officer fired, killing it instantly.
Officers "
had no choice but to shoot him
" for their safety, one of them said in the report.
The victim was then transported to a hospital in Columbus, capital of Ohio.
He is still there on Tuesday, but his state of health is "
good
", according to a spokeswoman for Ohio Health, manager of the hospital.
The slaughtered equine seems to have had "
a protective behavior towards five or six female zebras who were in the field
" with him, which could explain his aggressiveness, specifies the police report.
Zebras are not listed as "
dangerous wild animals
" in the state of Ohio, which means anyone can own them as a pet.