Thaindian News

By Meena Kar
Jan 13, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Three zebras which escaped from the Hearst Ranch in California last week were shot to death by neighboring ranchers who claimed that the exotic animals were posing a threat to their cattle and horses. These zebras were the descendants of the zebras brought to the San Simeon estate of William Randolph Hearst in 1923. They were a part of the publisher’s private zoo. Around 80 zebras presently wander around the Hearst Castle property, and the ‘unfortunate three’ somehow escaped last week.

Last week, three zebras, a buck, a mare and a yearling, somehow escaped from the Hearst ranch and wandered over the neighborhood areas. On Jan 5, two out of the three zebras turned up at David Fiscalini’s ranch. As the poor animals did so, David Fiscalini raised his shotgun and killed them. the third zebra was shot by a neighboring rancher. David Fiscalini’s told the local news source that the two zebras which landed up at his ranch, threatened his horses. When asked about this action of his, he said that he wanted to save his livestock, for which he did that. What dragged David Fiscalini into controversy was that the day after he shot the two zebras, he called a taxidermist onto his ranch and said that he wanted one of the zebras skinned as well as its hide tanned. Rosemary Anderson, the wife of the taxidermist reported that David Fiscalini wanted to make a rug out of the skin of the zebra. Regarding the death of the third zebra, David Fiscalini said that the neighbor who shot it dead, also wanted to make a rug out of its hide.

Even though David Fiscalini’s behavior was referred to as ‘a wanton waste’ by Rosemary Anderson, she also went on to say that the rancher felt that he was taking care of his property and wanted to get rid of predators. Which of the opinions is correct is yet to be verified until further investigations.