Zebra Challenge Tests Seniors’ Stripes

The seven members of Team Zebra are discovering that sometimes even the best efforts are not enough to earn one’s stripes.

A group of Harvard seniors has taken up the apparently self-constructed challenge of bringing two live zebras to Harvard Square by Monday at midnight, with the goal of raising money for hurricane and earthquake relief. If they succeed, they say, an anonymous donor—to whom they refer as the “Contender”—has agreed to purchase a boat large enough to fit the team and the zebras.

The group, dubbed Team Zebra, plans to “take a cruise” while raising money for disaster relief, according to their website, www.teamzebra.org. In return for funding the nautical equine escapades, however, the Contender has demanded half the proceeds—or profits, as the case may be—that the group amasses while yachting with the zebras.

As of Wednesday evening, spirits were sagging on Team Zebra’s online weblog.

“Feld Entertainment, owners of the circus, don’t seem interested in our challenge,” team co-leader Neeraj “Richie” Banerji ’06 wrote. “Southwicks Zoo didn’t answer. Tufts Animal Hospital is out of zebra. I called the Rhode Island zoo­—the lady said it does not move its larger animals anywhere except for zoo transfers.”

By yesterday evening, it appeared all hope was lost. “We’re Out of Luck?” read the banner headline on the website.

But team member Aaron D. Chadbourne ’06 said the crew should not be counted out.

“You should never underestimate the ingenuity of Harvard students,” he said. “Until Monday, there’s always the chance that two zebra could arrive in Harvard Square.”

“Never give up,” said fellow zebraphile Burden H. Walker ’06. “Never give up.”

Although it seems safe to say that the horse-seeking hooligans will not succeed at their mission, the campaign cannot attribute its failure to lack of enthusiasm.

Supporters messaged almost every House e-mail list and a handful posted photos of zebras on their facebook.com profiles.

Throughout the past week, Banerji has updated the Team Zebra blog regularly, garnering around 1,500 hits to the site. In addition, the page contains video footage of Banerji’s venture to the Ringling Brothers circus in search of a swift striped member of the genus Equus.

One poster suggested substituting painted horses, but blogger “Liz” responded, writing that “painted horses are out. But they did also say that a pregnant zebra counts as two. Therefore, a zebra fetus counts as one. Perhaps embryonic zebras would be more transportable?”

Although suggestions for zebra acquisition abound on the comment pages—ideas range from using zebrafish to consulting with zoo expert Rory A.W. Browne, who is also associate dean of freshmen—none led to triumph.

Unfortunately for the safari squad, enthusiasm for the project has increased as its prospects for success have plummeted.

But while the group’s charitable goal of fundraising for hurricane and earthquake victims appears out of reach, the students are still enjoying the zaniness of their operation.

“I don’t know if it’s about the endgame anymore,” said Chadbourne. “It’s all about the chase.”

And as for the identity of the Contender? Multiple team members hinted that he or she may in fact be no philanthropist at all, but a fellow student and friend of theirs, David M. Kaden ‘06, who is also a Crimson editor.

“I can neither confirm nor deny his identity,” said Banerji. “But rumor has it that it’s Kaden.” He added that Team Zebra and the Contender are close friends.

“On the way we’ll try to get some money for charity,” said Banerji, who added that they were still looking for zebra providers. “But the Zebra Challenge is above all a quest for zebra.”

This time, however, it seems the zebras have eluded the team.

—Staff writer Sam Teller can be reached at steller@fas.harvard.edu.