AFRICA’S WILDLIFE
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ZEBRA
Easy to spot because of their barcode like stripes, zebras are one of Africa’s iconic safari species. They are likely to be one of the first animals you spot on safari because of their distinctive black and white stripes and large herds.
Here is everything you need to know about the zebra.
SPECIES
1. Grevy’s Zebra
Grevy’s zebra are found in Ethiopia and Kenya. Their round ears and stocky build make them more like donkeys than horses in appearance. These zebras are the larges wild members of the horse family – they can weigh up to 450kg (990lbs)! Unfortunately, there are only 1,900 of Grevy’s Zebras left in the wild, making them endangered on the IUCN Red List.
2. The Mountain Zebra
Found predominantly in hilly and rocky places in South Africa and Namibia is the mountain zebra. Compared to other zebra species, they are more rugged in appearance with a distinctive reddish-brown colouring on their snouts. There are significantly more mountain zebra than Grevy’s zebra. However, with 34,900 left in the wild, they are considered vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
3. Plains Zebra
Plains zebra is the most common zebra species. They are the smallest of all the zebra species – they are approximately 1.5 metres (4.5 feet) in height and weigh up to 300kg (700lbs). There are several subspecies within the plains game species. The further south you go in Africa, the fewer the stripes on the zebra’s legs!
HABITAT
Zebras can be found throughout eastern and southern Africa. They prefer areas with savannah woodlands and treeless grasslands. Unfortunately, their natural habitat is decreasing in size – they are extinct in Lesotho and Burundi, areas where they were once native.
INTERESTING FACTS
1. Zebras’ stripes actually work in the same way as barcodes! Every zebra has a unique pattern of stripes. This means that scientists can scan images of zebras and identify individuals by ‘reading’ their stripes.
2. Zebras’ stripes are not just there for aesthetic appeal. There has been much debate as to why zebras have stripes. The prevailing theory is that they are a means of protection with the stripes confusing predators and making it difficult to single out a zebra from its herd. However, this prevailing theory was disproved in 2016 when it was shown that by the time a predator sees the stripes of its prey, it has already smelled and heard it.
Newer theories are more interesting. Some scientists believe that the stripes act as a cooling system, with the black stripes absorbing more heat. This theory goes as far as to suggest that during the hottest parts of the day, zebras raise the hair of their black stripes to release extra heat.
Another theory is that the stripes are a defense mechanism against flies and biting insects.
However, there is no definitive answer, so we currently stand at zebras: 1, scientists: 0!
3. If you are like us, you think of zebras as being white with black stripes. However, we are wrong! Zebras actually have black skin and their fur grows in black and white stripes. All the fur grows from follicles that contain melanocyte (pigment-generating cells). The white stripes grow from follicles where this pigment is deactivated.
4. Zebras are surprisingly fast runners. They can gallop at speeds of up to 65k/h (40mph)- fast enough to outrun their predators.
5. Zebra foals are very tough. Within 20 minutes of being born, they stand up and start walking. After a few hours, they can run with their herd.
6. As strange as this sounds, zebras make the grass taste better for other plains game. Plains zebra are not fussy eaters and will often graze from un-grazed grasslands and eat the harder grass. By clearing the old grass, new tender growth can spring up. Other grazers, such as the Thompson’s gazelle and wildebeest then come in and enjoy the fresh, soft grass.
