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- Our planet is home to three different species of zebra, the plains zebra, Grevy’s zebra and mountain zebra, all three species are native to Africa.
- The most common species is the plains zebra, which roams grasslands and woodland of eastern and southern Africa. The Grevy’s zebra can be found in dry, semi-desert areas of Kenya and Ethiopia, and the mountain zebra lives in mountainous and hilly habitats in Namibia, Angola and South Africa.
- Closely related to horses, zebras have thick bodies, thin legs, a tufted tail, and a long head and neck sporting a short mane. And their most famous feature?
- So why do zebras have stripes? Well, scientists aren’t entirely sure. Their stripes perhaps serve to dazzle and confuse predators and biting insects, or to control the animal’s body heat.
- Zebra Profile
- Interesting Zebra Facts
- Zebra Fact-File Summary
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Zebras (subgenus Hippotigris) are well-known for their distinctive stripes. They are members of the group Equus, which contains horses and asses. There are three living species of Zebra: the plains zebra (Equus quagga), the grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi), and the mountain zebra (Equus zebra). Each species has unique stripes.
1. Their stripes are unique
Zebras are iconic for their stripes, which are actually unique to each individual, like a human’s fingerprint. Scientists have even developed a way to read their stripes like bar codes to be able to identify specific zebras in a heard. 1
2. Zebra’s stripes are further apart the further south in Africa
Studies have shown that the further south on the African plains you travel, the farther apart the stripes of zebras are. Each species of zebra has different types of stripes, too. The the grevy’s zebra has the thinnest stripes, while the moutain zebra has vertical stripes on its neck and torso.
3. No one is completely sure why they have stripes
There have been lots of theories, including that the stripes help confuse predators. Some theories suggest that the stripes work to keep them cooler, while others show that biting flies don’t like to land on stripes. It’s likely to be a combination of all these things! 2
Scientific Classification
1. Boyle R. New Scanner Tracks Zebras’ Built-In Bar Codes | Popular Science. Accessed February 22, 2021. 2. How MJ, Gonzales D, Irwin A, Caro T. Zebra stripes, tabanid biting flies and the aperture effect. Proc R Soc B Biol Sci. 2020;287(1933):20201521. doi:10.1098/rspb.2020.1521 3. Villazon L. Are zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes? – BBC Science Focus Magazine. Accessed February 23, 2021. 4. Naidoo R, Chase MJ, Beytell P, et al. A newly discovered wildlife migration...
Learn about zebras, the black and white striped animals that live in Africa. Discover their unique features, behaviors, threats, and conservation status.
- Around 25 years
- Eastern and Southern Africa
Zebras (US: / ˈ z iː b r ə z /, UK: / ˈ z ɛ b r ə z, ˈ z iː-/) (subgenus Hippotigris) are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: Grévy's zebra (Equus grevyi), the plains zebra (E. quagga), and the mountain zebra (E. zebra).
Learn about zebras, their stripes, diet, behavior, and conservation status. Find out how zebras live in herds, groom each other, and migrate to find food and water.
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Apr 22, 2024 · Learn about the different species, stripe patterns, behaviors, and adaptations of zebras, the iconic black and white animals of Africa. Discover how zebras communicate, survive, and protect themselves from predators in this comprehensive guide.
May 3, 2024 · Learn about the three species of zebras, their stripes, their behavior, and their habitats. Find out how zebras are related to horses, how they adapt to grazing, and how they avoid horse flies.
Learn about the distinctive coat, social behavior, and predator defense of plains zebras, the most common species of zebras. See stunning photos of these striped mammals in their natural habitat.
