Animal Unique | Zebra | Zebra is originally from Africa. They are distinctive by their black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds. The unique stripes of zebras make these among the animals most familiar to people. Previously it was believed that zebras were white animals with black stripes, because some zebras have white underbelly. Embryological evidence shows that the animal's background color is black and white stripes and bellies are additions. It is likely that the streaks are caused by a combination of factors. Zebras come in a variety of habitats including grasslands, savannas, woodlands, thorny scrub, mountains and coastal hills.
Like horses, zebras can walk, trot and canter. They are generally slower than horses but their great stamina helps them surpass predators. When chased, a zebra will zig-zag from left to right, making it harder for the predator. When cornered, the zebra-rearing and kicking, or biting the attacker. Zebras have excellent eyesight. It is believed that they can be seen in color. Like most ungulates the zebra has its eyes on the sides of his head, making it a wide field. Zebra are also visible in the dark, though not as advanced as those of most of their predators. Zebras have excellent hearing, and tend to have larger, rounder ears than horses. Like horses and other ungulates, zebra can turn their ears in almost any direction. In addition to vision and hearing, zebras have an acute sense of smell and taste.
Zebras communicate with each other with high pitched barks and whinnying. Grevy's zebras make mule-like beams. A zebra ears makes her mood. When a zebra is in a quiet, tense or friendly mood, its ears erect. If it is frightened, its ears are pushed forward. When angry, the ears are drawn backwards. When surveying an area for predators, zebras will stand in an alert posture, with ears erect, head up, and stare. Like most members of the horse family, zebras are highly sociable. The social structure, however, is dependent on the species. Mountain zebras and Plains zebras live in groups, known as 'harems', consisting of one stallion with up to six mares and their foals. Bachelor males either live alone or with groups of other bachelors until they are old enough for breeding to challenge. When attacked by packs of hyenas or wild dogs, a zebra group will crawl along with the foals in the middle while the stallion tries to ward them off.
Grevy's Zebra, on the other hand, are almost twice as large as Plains Zebra. They are not nearly as widespread, mainly inhabit regions of northern Kenya. They can be identified by their smaller, narrower stripes that come together in a bulls-eye pattern on the back. Grevy's Zebra are better adapted to drier climates than Plains Zebra. They are able to browse when grass is scarce and will dig water holes when needed. Grevy's Zebra are territorial. Social groups consist of groups of females with young offspring, bachelor herds, and solitary adult males defend different areas. Breeding takes place within these areas. The stallions advertise their territories by braying and mark boundaries with urine and feces.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Equidae
Genus: Equus
Subgenus: Hippotigris and Dolichohippus
Zebras feed on grasses almost completely, but may occasionally eat shrubs, herbs, twigs, leaves and bark. Their mouths are specifically adapted to eat all kinds of grasses, of high and rough short and tender. They compensate for poor digestion by eating most of the day. They also can not go for long periods without water. Female zebras mature earlier than men, and a mare may have her first foal by the age of three. The males are not able to breed until the age of five or six. Mares may give birth to a foal every twelve months. They nurses the foal for up to one year. Like horses, zebras can stand, walk and suckle shortly after they are born. A zebra foal is brown and white instead of black and white at birth.
However, various anthropogenic factors have a serious impact on the zebra population, in particular hunting for skins and habitat destruction. Grevy's zebra and the mountain zebra are endangered. While Plains zebras are much more plentiful. Modern man has great influence on the zebra population. Zebras were and are still hunted for their skin and meat. They also compete with livestock for forage and sometimes eliminated. The Grevy's zebra is also endangered. Hunting and competition from livestock have greatly reduced their populations. The small size of the population, environmental hazards, such as drought, are capable of the entire species. Plains zebras are much more numerous and have a healthy population. Yet they too have been reduced by hunting and habitat loss to agriculture. A subspecies, the quagga, is now extinct.
Zebras have been the subject of African folktales that tell them how their stripes. According to a Bushmen folk tale of Namibia, the zebra was once all white, but the black stripes acquired 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 scorch marks on his white coat. Zebra is a popular subject in art. Zebra stripes are also a popular style for furniture, carpets and fashion. As depicted in films and cartoons zebras are usually several characters, but have a number of leading roles, especially in Madagascar and Racing Stripes.
Animal Unique
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