Facts on the Plains Zebra

Plains zebras live in Africa.

The plains zebra, also called a Burchell's zebra, is one of three types of zebras living in Africa and is a close relative to horses and wild asses. The plains zebra is most numerous of these three species and is a grazing animal that has seen its habitat shrink due to agricultural activity by humans. The plains zebra is a social animal that constantly encounters danger in the wild scenarios of its environment.

Identification

The Animal Spot website states that an adult plains zebra can weigh as much as 600 lbs. and stand 57 inches high at its shoulders. The animal possesses a mane that starts on the forehead and extends past the end of the neck. Eyes positioned on the sides of a zebra's head allow it to see any danger coming from different directions. The black stripes will be of different lengths and widths, with no two zebras having the same pattern. On this kind of zebra, the stripes come together in the midsection of the animal to resemble the letter Y.

Geography

The plains zebra roams in eastern and southern African nations, with large populations living in Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya. The species frequents the open woodlands and savanna ecosystems of this region as well as forested spots. Migratory herds of the plains zebra crossing the vast Serengeti Plain looking for water can number in the tens of thousands.

Food and Water

All zebras consume a vegetarian diet; the plains zebra feeds on grasses and sometimes on the leaves of low-lying trees and shrubs. The plains zebra has back teeth designed for grinding the grass and front teeth designed to pull the grass free from its stalks. The teeth of a zebra grow through the lifetime of the animal to offset the wear and tear they endure. Zebras depend on a source of water and are often nomadic, going from one watering hole to the next and desperately searching for water when the dry season commences.

Function

The stripes on a zebra serve a specific function, says the African Wildlife Foundation website. In addition to the shininess of their coats helping to dissipate the heat of their environment, the stripes make it difficult for potential predators to get a good fix on the size, number and position of a zebra. Enemies like the lion, leopard and hyena typically hunt at dusk or dawn, and when zebras mingle, their stripes help them blend together and into the background, causing confusion for the animals stalking them.

Behavior

The social hierarchy of the plains zebra involves a stallion controlling and protecting a group of mares. The females will stay with any male that wins the battle with other stallions to be her mate. When attacked by a predator, the zebra can try to outrun it with its 35 mile-per-hour speed or turn and fight with a series of stunning kicks. The plains zebra, when faced with dire threats, will form a wall and face their enemy head-on.

References

• African Wildlife Foundation: Zebra
• The Animal Spot: Plains Zebra
• San Diego Zoo: Mammals:Zebra