Each Zebra Is Identified by Their Unique Stripes
Zebras are strikingly black-and-white striped mammals of the horse family. There are 3 main species which include: the plains zebra, which is found in rich grassland over much of eastern and southern Africa; the Grevy’s zebra which lives in arid, sparsely wooded areas in Kenya and a few small areas in Ethiopia; and the Mountain zebra which inhabits dry upland plains in Namibia and a few scattered areas in western South Africa.
These three species are easily distinguished by the pattern of their stripes. In the plains zebra the stripes are wide and widely spaced; The northern subspecies of the plain’s zebra are more fully striped than the southern ones, in which the striping of the lower legs tends to give way to white. The mountain zebra has smaller stripes than the plains zebra; its stripes are closely spaced on its head and shoulders but widely spaced on its haunches. The mountain zebra also has a grid like pattern of stripes on the rump. The stripes of Grevy’s zebra are the narrowest and most closely spaced of the three species; its belly is white. The zebra’s stripes arise from specialized skin cells that selectively determine the pigmentation of the animal’s skin. In all zebra species, the stripes are like fingerprints, allowing scientists to easily identify individuals.
Zebras are large single-hoofed and built for speed and long-distance migrations. The teeth of all three species are adapted for grazing. Zebras possess strong upper and lower incisors for cropping grasses. All zebras are dark-skinned animals. Two types of mating systems are observed in zebras. Like the horse, the mountain and the plains zebras live in small family groups consisting of a stallion and several mares with their foals. The females that form the harem are unrelated. The harem remains intact even when the stallion leading the harem is replaced by another male. When moving, stallions usually remain in the rear but still maintain control over the movement of the herd
In Grevy’s zebra, males are territorial and usually occupy an area of 4 to 6 square miles. Males create dung piles, or middens, to mark territorial boundaries that typically follow physical features such as streambeds. Increased reproductive success is enjoyed by males that occupy territories through which females must pass in order to gain access to safe drinking areas or prime grazing sites. Females and bachelor males form unstable groups without any clear dominance hierarchy. Adult males and females do not form lasting bonds, but related females may occupy the same grazing areas.
With plentiful food, small groups of zebras may coalesce into large herds, but the smaller groups still retain their identities. Zebras often form mixed herds with other mammals such as wildebeests and giraffes, which gain protection from predators by the alertness of the zebras. Zebras with young colts avoid predators such as hyenas by forming a cluster around the mother and young rather than bolting. A stallion will attack hyenas and wild dogs if his harem is threatened. Available surface water is a critical need of zebras during the hot dry season. Both Grevy’s and mountain zebras excavate pits in dry streambeds to obtain subsurface water, and they defend these waterholes against strangers. Zebras must spend a considerable part of their day feeding to maintain their high rate of intake.
