| |
|
|
| |
| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
|
| COMMON
NAME: |
Grant's
zebra, plains zebra, Burchell's zebra |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Mammalia |
| ORDER: |
Perissodactyla |
| FAMILY: |
Equidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Equus
(horse) burchelli boehmi |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| DESCRIPTION: |
The
Grant's zebra has a stout, horse-shaped body with
broad vertical dark brown stripes set against white
or off-white fur. The vertical stripes continue
all the way around belly and become horizontal on
the legs, and start to fade on the rump. The mane
is erect, unlike a horses', and the ears are large
and donkey-like with thick fur inside. |
|
| SIZE: |
Approximately
120-140 cm (47-55 in) at shoulder |
|
| WEIGHT: |
Up
to 300 kg (660 lbs) |
|
| DIET: |
Grazes
on long, coarse grasses |
|
| GESTATION: |
Gestation
lasts approximately 11.5-12 months; one offspring |
| NURSING
DURATION |
Foals
nurse for at least 6 months |
|
| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
About
3 years for females; longer for males |
|
| LIFE
SPAN: |
Averages
up to 20 years |
|
| RANGE: |
Eastern
and southern Africa |
|
| HABITAT: |
Inhabits
grasslands |
|
| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
Unknown |
|
| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| 1. |
There are three living sub-species of plains zebra:
the Grant's zebra, Chapman's zebra, and Burchell's
zebra. Grant's zebras are the most abundant and
widespread of any zebra species or sub-species. |
|
|
| 2. |
Not only does their range differentiate the three
sub-species, but their stripes become less distinct
on the sub-species found further south in their
region. |
|
|
| 3. |
Grant's zebra herds are composed of one stallion
with several mares (usually 7-8) and their juvenile
offspring. |
|
|
| 4. |
Grant's
zebra are very cooperative: a migrating group will
adjust their speed to accommodate the slowest member
of the herd. |
|
|
| 5. |
Zebra
mothers will keep a newborn foal separate from the
herd for a period of time long enough for the calf
to imprint its mothers stripes (which are unique
to her), smell, and call. |
|
|
| 6. |
Within
several minutes of its birth, a newborn zebra begins
to walk, and within just a few hours is capable
of running with the rest of the herd. |
|
|
| 7. |
If
forced to face a predator, a zebra will defend itself
with powerful kicks. Just one strong, well-placed
kick from a zebra is sufficient to kill a predator
as large as a hyena. |
|
|
| 8. |
The
purpose of a zebra's stripes has long been debated.
One theory maintains that a zebra herds' stripes
serve to disorient predators that rely on their
ability to single out one individual. Another theory
is based on the uniqueness of each zebra's set of
stripes (no two are the same, like a fingerprint),
asserting that herd members use their coat patterns
to identify one another. This is thought to be of
special importance to young foals, which rely on
their mother's rump print for recognition when following
behind her during travel. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
With their sharp teeth and strong digestive systems,
zebras are beneficial to other wild grazers because
they are able to clear off the tops of coarse grasses
that are difficult for other herbivores to digest,
thus clearing the ground for the softer vegetation
underneath. Zebras are also an important prey source
for large carnivores such as lions and hyenas.
Zebras
have long been hunted for their coats, sometimes
to the point of near endangerment, such as with
the Grevy's and Cape mountain zebras. They are
also hunted for their meat, and are sometimes
killed to minimize competition with domestic livestock.
Due
to their close relation to domestic horses, zebras
are also susceptible to certain diseases introduced
into their native areas by domestic equine stock.
Zebra
require much land on which to migrate in search
of food, so they are under constant threat from
habitat destruction.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Elzenga, J. W. "Why Zebras Are Striped."
SWARA, July - Aug. 1992, pp. 29-30. |
|
|
Nowak, R. (ed.). Walker's Mammals of the World.
Vol. 2. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press,
1991. |
|
|
Stevens, J. E. "Zebras in Turmoil."
International Wildlife, Sept. - Oct. 1994, pp.
6-12.
|
|
| Walther,
F. R. Communication and Expression in Hoofed
Animals. Bloomington: Indiana University Press,
1984. |
|
| www.123spot.com/AnimalDirectory/zebras.html |
|
| http://homepages.tesco.net/~zoechaos/zebra.htm |
|
|
|
|
|
