Zebra

Zebra is a Mammal belonging to the Equidae Family which also includes Horses, Asses, etc. Zebras have horselike bodies, but their manes are made of short, erect hair, their tails are tufted.  They are one of the easiest recognisable animals because of their white and black stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual.  Their stripes are a form of camouflage called 'Disruptive Colouration' that breaks up the outline of the body so it is difficult to make them out particularly in the dawn light when predators are most active. They are found only in Africa. Zebras are mostly social animals and live in family groups of between 5 - 20 individuals that consist of one stallion, a few mares and their young ones. There are three species of Zebra: the Plains Zebra, Grévy's Zebra and the Mountain Zebra. The Plains zebra and the Mountain Zebra belong to the subgenus Hippotigris, but Grevy's Zebra is the sole species of subgenus Dolichohippus. Zebras were the second lineage to diverge from the earliest proto-horses, after the asses, around 4 million years ago. Grevy's Zebra is believed to have been the first zebra species to emerge.

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom - Animalia.
• Phylum - Chordata.
• Class - Mammalia.
• Order - Perissodactyla.
• Family - Equidae.
• Genus - Equus.
• Subgenus - Hippotigris and Dolichohippus.

Physical Features

Weight - Zebras are generally 2.3 metres (8 feet) long, stand 1.25 - 1.5 metres (4 - 5 feet) at the shoulder.

Height - They weigh around 300 kilograms (660 pounds), although some can grow to more than 410 kilograms (900 pounds).

Earlier it was believed that Zebras were white animals with black stripes since some zebras have white underbellies. But embryological evidence proves that the animal's background colour is black and it has white stripes. The stripes are typically vertical on the head, neck, forequarters, and main body, with horizontal stripes at the rear and on the legs of the animal. Their shiny coats dissipate over 70% of incoming heat. Their manes are made of short, erect hair, their tails are tufted at the tip. Zebras have long, thin legs for ease of movement and quick, efficient escapes from predators. Zebras have excellent eyesight. It is believed that they can see in colour. Like most ungulates the zebra has its eyes on the sides of its head, giving it a wide field of view. Zebras also have night vision, although not as advanced as that of most of their predators, but their hearing compensates. Zebras have great hearing, and tend to have larger, rounder ears than horses. Zebras can turn their ears in almost any direction. They also have an acute sense of smell and taste. Zebras have matching incisors for chewing the strong, high fibre grasses which are easily digested due to their single stomach and hind-gut fermentation. They are capable of running at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour.

Geographical Range and Habitat

The range extends to east and south Africa. These includes the regions of Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia and Botswana.

They can be found in a variety of habitats, such as grasslands, Savannah's, woodlands, thorny scrublands, mountains and coastal hills

Behaviour

• Each group of zebra have their own home range. The adult zebras are usually non-related as both female and male zebra leave their natal origin. Within each family group, the stallion will have mating rights to his mares. The mares within the family group become associated for life. When the mares produce foals, they have added protection from the stallion who is always ready to defend his mates and offspring. Family groups will congregate with other family groups and bachelor herds to form larger herds, especially during migration. Within each individual family group, there is a female hierarchy. The longer the mare has been in the group, the more dominance she has. The alpha mare comes first, followed by her offspring. Then the second longest member comes next, with her offspring and so on.

• Most zebras are considered nomadic, without specific territories, except the Grevy's zebra who mark their territories with urine and dung. Zebras communicate with each other with sounds and facial expressions. Zebras make loud braying or barking sounds and soft snorting or whuffling sounds. The position of a Zebras ears and how wide open their eyes are and whether their mouths are open or their teeth are bared, all mean something. For example, when their ears are laid flat in a backwards position it means they are serious and 'Others better not mess around'.

• When a family group is attacked by predator, the members form a semicircle, face the predator and watch it, ready to bite or strike, if  the attack continues. If one of the family is injured the rest will often encircle it to protect it from further attack. The are not afraid to confront predators. Zebras have a powerful kick which can cause serious injury to a predator such as a Lion or Hyena.

• Zebras tend to be more active during daylight. They spend their nights on short pastures where it is relatively safe from predator ambush. During the night, they will graze an hour or so at a time and move around very little. Other zebras sleep soundly, however, there is always one standing alert and on guard.

• Zebras like to associate with other animals such as baboons, giraffes, impala and kudu, however, the most common association is between the Zebra and the Wildebeest.

Diet

Zebras feed mainly on grasses but they are  very adaptable grazers and will eat shrubs, herbs, twigs, leaves and bark as well. Their well adapted digestive system allows them to subsist on diets of lower nutritional quality than that necessary for herbivores.

Reproduction

Female Zebras mature earlier than the males and a mare may have her first foal by the age of three. Males are not able to breed until the age of five or six. Mares may give birth to one foal every twelve months. She nurses the foal for up to a year. Zebras are able to stand, walk and suckle shortly after they're born. A Zebra foal is brown and white instead of black and white at birth. Zebra foals begin to change to adult colouration after 4 months. Although a foal may graze within a week of birth, they continue to suckle for up to 16 months.

Predators

Zebras are mostly preyed upon by Lions and Hyenas, and to some extent by Wild Dogs, Leopards and Cheetahs.

Colour Variations

Different species of Zebras differ with each other with regards to the width of the stripes. For example Grevy's Zebra has narrow stripes.There are also Albino Zebras which result from inheritance of recessive gene alleles. Some different types of hybrids have been produced in captivity. These include crosses between Zebras and other (non-zebra) equines which have produced several distinct hybrids, including the Zebroid, Zeedonk, Zony and Zorse.

Extinct Species

Quagga (Equus quagga quagga) - It was an extinct subspecies of the Plains Zebra. It was abundant in South Africa's Cape Province and the southern part of the Orange Free State. It was distinguished from other Zebras by having the usual vivid marks on the front part of the body only. In the mid-section, the stripes faded and the dark, inter-stripe spaces became wider, and the rear parts were a plain brown.

In Folklore and Culture

• In African culture there are many stories related the stripes of Zebras. According to a Bushmen folk tale of Namibia, the zebra was once all white but got its black stripes after a fight with a baboon  over a waterhole. After kicking the baboon so hard the zebra lost his balance and tripped over a fire and the fire sticks left scorches mark all over this white coat.

• The fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir (r.1605-24), commissioned a painting of the Zebra, which was completed by Ustad Mansur.

• Zebra stripes are also a popular style for furniture, carpets and fashion.

• The "Zebra crossing" is named after the Zebra's black and white body.

• They have been featured in movies like 'Madagascar' and 'Racing Stripes'.

• Zebras are also mascots and symbols for products and corporations, notably Zebra Technologies and Fruit Stripe gum. Zebras are featured on the coat of arms of Botswana.