The polka-dotted zebra that was discovered in the Maasai Mara in September 16, left the country the following month, the Daily Nation reported on Wednesday, October 2.
The rare zebra was confirmed to have joined other zebras and wildebeests in migrating to Serengeti National park in Tanzania.
Tourists who were in the park reported that they had seen the young zebra cross the sand river, a borderline between Maasai Mara Game Reserve and Serengeti.
Paul Udoto, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) spokesperson, speaking to Kenyans.co.ke mentioned that the reports were coming from tourists and they had not given an official statement.
He, however, narrated that the zebra was a wild animal just like the rest and could move back and forth between the two game reserves.
"If it wants to move to Uganda, Tanzania and back, it can, we cannot stop it," Udot reported as he discussed the zebra's movement.
Felix Migoya, secretary of Kenya Tour Guides and Drivers’ Association, rubbished rumours that the young Zebra had been caged to attract more tourists to the Mara.
“These social media reports are fake. The one captured in South Africa is much bigger,” he revealed noting that the pictures shared on social media were much of a much older zebra.
He assured that the zebra was on the normal Mara to Serengeti migration phenomenon that attracts tourists each year.
The rare zebra was first spotted in the Maasai Mara Game reserve on September 16 by a photographer.
Anthony Tira, a tour guide at Matira bush camp, spotted the polka-dotted Zebra and shared the photo on the camp’s Facebook page.
This caused excitement in the country as the photo was shared on various social media platforms.
“At first, I thought it was a zebra that had been captured and painted or marked for purposes of migration. I was confused when I first saw it,” Tira recounted.
He then discovered that it was an actual zebra with a melanin disorder and that the zebra was only a week old. The young zebra did not have normal stripes like those of its species.
The discovery led to tourists flocking the game reserve to witness the spectacle that was the young polka-dotted zebra.
