Zebra
As members of the Equus genus, zebras are closely related to donkeys and horses. With their distinctive black (sometimes brown) and white striped coats, zebras are one of the most widely recognized animals in the world. There are currently three species of Zebras: Grévy's zebra, Plains Zebra, and Mountain Zebra. All three types are found in Africa. Each zebra species has distinctive stripe patterns, and beyond that, individual zebras are identified by their unique striped coat. Their striped coats help to camouflage them from predators. When bunched together, the mass of stripes makes it difficult for a predator to single out and target individuals.
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order:Perissodactyla
Family: Equidae
Genus: Equus
Subgenus:Hippotigris
Species: Zebra
Subspecies: Grévy's zebra (Equus grevyi), Plains Zebra (Equusquagga), and Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra)
Most zebras live in family groups with a stallion, mares, and foals. The group of females within a herd are called a harem. A herd can sometimes contain thousands of members, but generally are formed of smaller family groups. The Grévy's zebra mares are often nomadic, while the stallions are very territorial. They will sometimes form loose groups consisting of a dominant stallion and some mares, but the mares will often leave the group when their foals are mature enough to travel.
Zebras are herbivores and spend most of the day grazing in open grasslands. They migrate when necessary to find food and water. Zebras often graze with other herbivores for increased protection. Large herd numbers, exceptional hearing, keen eyesight, striped coats, and speed (zebras can run up to 65 km per hour) help zebras evade predators like lions, wild dogs, hyenas, cheetahs, and leopards. When caught, zebras have an admirable fighting abilities. They bite and can kick hard enough to break a jaw.
Zebras give birth to one foal after a gestation of 11-13 months. When foals are born, they need to imprint on their mothers and be able to identify their mom’s stripe patterns, vocalizations and scent in order to survive. During the imprinting phase, a zebra mothers will keep her foal away from other mares. Zebras do not usually adopt another’s foal, and only allow their own foals to suckle.
Zebras have the same basic shape as other equids (members of the horse family). They are ungulates with large elongated heads, strong mid-length necks, sturdy barrel-shaped bodies, conical ears, and long legs with single hooves. The striped coats, bristly main, and long thin tails with a tassel make them very distinct in appearance from other equids. Based on the species, zebra stripes can range from narrow to wide. The Mountain zebra has sharper hoofs for navigating steep terrain, a dewlap (flap of skin hanging from jaw down the neck), and more narrow stripes than the Plains zebra. The Grévy's zebra has the narrowest stripes and a white stomach. Foals have softer fur with stripes that are often brown.
Zebras are, on average, around 3.5-5 ft tall at the shoulder and weigh 200-450 kg. The Grévy's zebra is the largest of the three species, while the Plains zebra is the smallest.
Zebras are highly recognizable and revered for their unique beauty. They have been immortalized in art and textile prints and are also prized features in animal exhibits. While similar to horses, zebras have a high survival drive and have thus been near impossible to domesticate. Zebras, on the whole, have a stable population but are still at risk due to human actions.Humans hunt zebra for both their meat and prized skins. In addition to being hunted, zebras face habitat destruction, deforestation, and food competition from livestock. In addition, Anthrax outbreaks have dealt a blow to Grévy's zebra populations.
Estimated at around 750,000, the Plains zebra has the largest population of the three species. The IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, has listed Grévy's zebra as endangered and the Mountain zebra as vulnerable. There are ongoing conservation efforts on behalf of the Grévy's zebra and also protection of migratory routes for the Plains zebra in East Africa.