Fun Facts about Zebras

Photo taken by PMdTPhotography

There are three main species of zebra: Plains Zebra, Mountain Zebra and Grevy’s Zebra.

Plains Zebra (Equus quagga) are sometimes called common zebra, because they are the most common and geographically widespread. Plains subspecies include; Grant’s, Burchell’s, and Chapman’s or Damara.

There are two categories of Mountain Zebra: Hartman Mountain and Cape Mountain.

Grevy’s Zebras are thought to be the oldest zebra type.

There are various theories for the black and white stripes. The stripes are for camouflage, personal identification, a cooling method and/or protection from the tsetse fly.

The stripes are also believed to be a method of keeping cool. The black color tends to absorb radiation, the air near the black stripes get hotter, thereby forcing down the cooler air in the surroundings to the white stripes. This process eventually cools the animal.

Zebra foals are born brown and white instead of black and white.

They communicate with barks, brays, sniffs and snorts. Barks and brays are signals to get alert. While sniff is a welcome gesture, snorts are made when they are tense.

For the most part, the different species cannot interbreed.

The Quagga Zebra, a subspecies of the Plains Zebra is now extinct. 

Taken at Mala Mala

The way to tell whether a zebra is male or female from behind (aside from the obvious, of course) is to look under their tail - females have a broader black ’stripe’ between their back thighs than males.

When males fight each other over a female, they have been known to bite off their opponents tail.

Zebras often appear fat. This is just gas as a result of bacteria that is in their stomach to help them break down their food via fermentation

Like horses a male zebra is called a stallion. A female zebra is referred to as a mare

Zebras are social and bond in various ways. They often nibble at each other, rub their heads and shoulders and also sniff. Occasional fights are characterized by biting the legs and kicking.

The color blind predators get confused between the stripes and the grass blades

A zebra’s neck is the only place where fat is stored. The mane is a good indication of the health of the animal. An upright mane means a good layer of fat, which means a happy animal.

Zebra foal - Madikwe Game Reserve

The zebra’s backwards kick is powerful enough to break a lion’s neck / back or jaw.

When a foal is born the mother keeps all other zebras (even the members of her family) away from it for 2 or 3 days, until it learns to recognize her by sight, voice and smell

Zebras are important prey for lions and hyenas, and to some extent, for wild dogs, leopards and cheetahs. When a family group is attacked, the members form a semicircle, face the predator and watch it, ready to bite or strike should the attack continue.

 Zebras can run up to 40 miles per hour and baby zebras can run an hour after they are born!

The blue-eyed Zebra in Madikwe

Read more about  lodges where you can see Zebras on The Game Lodge Index