What we did not expect was an urgent call from our field team: a zebra was chasing them across the property. The game included not just the lone zebra but also wild boar, non-native deer species, and other exotic animals legally maintained on the land. The zebra incident is an extreme, but illuminating, example of why environmental due diligence is a critical — and often underestimated — step in site selection. That team should be prepared to conduct the following, depending on the site:Phase I ESA; Phase II ESA (if necessary); Geotechnical analysis; Wetlands delineation; Greenfield development studies. And if you ever find yourself being chased by a zebra on a potential industrial site, consider it a sign: dig a little deeper.