An Oxford College student who claims he helped kidnap a zebra and deposit it in a campus building says it was just a prank.

But the zebra's owner says it's not that black and white.

Joseph Moon / Emory University

Zebra is led from Seney Hall on Emory's Oxford campus.

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Curtis Jackson, who lives across the street from the Newton County campus, said Thursday he planned to press theft and trespassing charges against those who kidnapped his zebra, walked it a mile down the road and locked it on the third floor. Campus security discovered the animal unharmed at 7 a.m. Wednesday and animal control workers returned it home.

"What they did was fool-hardy and dangerous," said Jackson, 63, who has two zebras, a parrot, two dogs and a donkey on his 53-acres. "I can't believe they led him that far and didn't get hurt. It's not like taking a goat over there."

Jackson said the 800-pound zebra in question —a 10-year-old named Barcode— was doing fine Thursday and was not hurt in the incident.

Jackson has no doubt one of those involved is a student who sent an anonymous e-mail to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution detailing the crime. The e-mail —written by a person using the handle "John Emory" and provided to Jackson and school officials— contained details only those involved would know, including how wire-cutters were used to cut Jackson's fence, he said.

"The story matches perfectly," Jackson said Thursday between interviews with local TV stations.

Late Thursday, Oxford College police had received the e-mail and their investigation was continuing, said Beverly Clark, a spokeswoman for Oxford's parent school, Emory University.

Oxford Dean Stephen Bowen said the zebra caper was part of a long-standing tradition of students placing farm animals in Seney Hall. The last time —sometime in the 1960s— it was a cow. On Wednesday, Bowen said those responsible probably would not be punished. But in a letter to students he wrote: "If those responsible are identified they will be at risk of criminal prosecution, and the college will take disciplinary action."

The e-mail's author —who refused to pony up a name— said it was all a joke.

"The prank had no intentions other than to raise a certain spirit in the Oxford College community," the purported zebra-snatcher wrote. "There was no malice whatsoever. It may have been one of the greatest pranks ever pulled off in history of American academia."

To an extent, Bowen seemed to agree, calling it "a cute prank" in his letter to students.

"I am sure this one will go down in the annals of Oxford as the apex of animal elevation in Seney Hall," the dean wrote. " Those responsible were lucky that the animal was not injured and that damage was minimal. No one should count on being that lucky in the future. I hope it will be at least another 50 years before the next such prank is attempted."

Staff Writer Jeffry Scott contributed to this story