If you have ever watched a wildlife show, or been to Africa, or a zoo then you probably have seen these amazing animals. There was a movie out a few years ago called Racing Stripes, if you haven’t seen it check it out, it is a great movie for the whole family.The Zebras are a single hoofed animal related to the Horse and Donkey. They live in Africa. There are 3 different species of Zebras, and a few different subspecies. The Grevy’s Zebra which lives mostly in Ethiopia, and Kenya, this Zebra is also an endangered species list.
The Mountain Zebra can be found in South Africa, Namibia, and Angola, this Zebra is on the vulnerable list.
The Plains Zebra which you could find in Eastern and South Africa, this species is also on the vulnerable list.
At one time there was also called the Quagga, a subspecies of the Plains Zebra this species became extinct in the 19th century, the last one died in the Amsterdam zoo in 1883.
Each Zebra species has a different pattern of their stripes, they can be white, brown and or black, like human fingerprints Zebra stripes are unique to each Zebra. The stripes will usually end at their bellies, and on the inner side of their legs that are white. Under the coats of the Zebras, they have black skin.
The species Grevy’s Zebra have stripes that are pretty thin. While the Mountain Zebra has a variety of different angled stripes, on their neck and their torso the stripes are vertical, but yet on their haunches the stripes are horizontal. When you see a Plains Zebra you may see brownish stripes that look like a shadow in between their black stripes. The stripes that a Zebra has can protect them from the horrendous horseflies, the stripes are also a natural sunscreen.
The different species of the Zebras also come in different sizes and weights. The stripes also help them to be camouflaged.
The Grevy’s is the largest of the species, they can weigh about 770 lbs – 990 lbs, they stand about 5 feet from top to bottom.
The Mountain Zebra is the medium size; they weigh about 529 lbs- 820 lbs, and stand from 3.8 – 4.9 feet.
The Plains Zebra is the smallest of the species only weighing up to about 770 lbs, and only standing from about 3.6 – 4.8 feet.
Only the Plains Zebra and the Mountain Zebra will live in what is called “a Family Group” also known as a “Harem”. ruled by a stallion having a lot of mares and offspring.
The Grevy’s don’t have “Family Groups” the stallions will have their own territories, the mares will come to the stallions, breed , and then give birth. When the foals are old enough to travel, the mother and foal will move away from the stallion’s territory.
A group of Zebras can also be called a Dazzle.
Females have a gestation period from about 12 – 14 months. The babies are called foals. When born the foals can weigh between 55 – 88 lbs. After about six minutes after being born the foal can stand on its own. About 20 minutes later the foal can walk, and around forty minutes later they can run. Foals will nurse from their mothers for about a year, around 3- 6 years the young Zebra will be fully mature. The diet of the Zebra consists of grass,leaves and twigs. Zebras have been known to travel about 1,800 miles to find food.
Zebras can communicate with each other very well. They have a lot of facial expressions, using their eyes, teeth, and ears. They can widen their eyes, and bare their teeth, if they flatten their ears back this would mean trouble. They can also make different sounds like barking, snorting, and huffing. Zebras like to groom each other as well, which helps to strengthen their bond amongst each other.
The stallions will alert the other Zebras with very high pitched snorts, protecting his family from predators like the Lions, Leopards, Hyenas, and the Cheetahs. While he is sending out his high pitched snorting, the other Zebras will run away in a zigzag, to confuse the predators. When the stallion has to fight off the predators, without the chance to run, which would be his first choice he will have his head lowered, stretching out his neck, and barring his teeth to bite, and a very powerful kick which can hurt the predator a lot. Running from a Lion is the best thing as Lions are colored blind and the black and white stripes can confuse them, while the Zebras run in their zig zag. Other predators include humans that will kill the Zebra for their skin.
Zebras can run up to 65 km per hour.
Zebras sleep while standing.
