zebra
equus buchellii
habitat
Grant’s zebra can be found in the grasslands, savannas and open country of Africa, including Southern Sudan and Ethiopia, down to central Angola and eastern South Africa
Diet
Zebras are herbivorous and primarily eat a variety of grasses. They are also known to eat shrubs, herbs, twigs, leaves and bark.This is because their efficient digestive system allows them to live on diets of lower nutritional quality.
Physical appearance
Zebras have shiny coats that dissipate over 70 percent of incoming heat, and some scientists believe the stripes help the animals withstand intense solar radiation. The black and white stripes are a form of camouflage called disruptive coloration that breaks up the outline of the body. Although the pattern is visible during daytime, at dawn or in the evening when their predators are most active, zebras look indistinct and may confuse predators by distorting true distance.
behavior
Family groups are stable members maintaining strong bonds over many years. Mutual grooming, where zebras stand together and nibble the hair on each other's neck and back, helps develop and preserve these bonds. Family members look out for one another if one becomes separated from the rest, the others search for it. The group adjusts its traveling pace to accommodate the old and the weak.
life span
they live up to 25 years in the wild and 40 years in captivity
population
there are about 2000 zebras left in the wild
threats
No major threats appear to be resulting in range-wide population declines, but habitat loss and overhunting are resulting in localized declines in some areas. Although no country within this species’ range is free of either problem, loss of habitat appears to be more of a concern in the southern half of the range, while poaching appears to be more significant in the northern half. Nonetheless, the Plains Zebra is a relatively resilient species that has demonstrated a remarkable ability to recover from population declines when provided with suitable habitat and protection from overhunting
conservation status
Plains Zebra occur in numerous protected areas across their range, including the Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Tsavo and Masaai Mara (Kenya), Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe), Etosha National Park (Namibia), and Kruger National Park (South Africa).Zebras are highly social, living in family groups of five to 20. They sometimes mass together in their hundreds to migrate over the plains in the dry season. When migrating, the stallions travel at the front and the rear of the herd to protect the females and the young.