Zebra Facts for Kids - Kids play and create zebra facts.
African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats are called zebras.The three species are the Grévy's zebra, the plains zebra and the mountain zebra.The only living members of the family Equidae are the zebras, horses and asses.Each individual has their own zebra stripes.Most of the evidence supports the idea that the stripes are a form of protection from flies.In eastern and southern Africa, zebras can be found in a variety of habitats.
Lower-quality vegetation is what zebras can eat.They are preyed on by lions and flee when threatened but also bite and kick.The social behavior of zebras is different, with plains and mountain zebra living in stable harems consisting of an adult male or stallion, several adult females or mares, and their young or foals.In harem-holding species, adult females only mate with their stallion, while male Grévy's zebras establish territories which attract females and the species is promiscuous.There are various vocalisations, body postures and facial expressions that zebras communicate with.Social bonds are strengthened in plains and mountain zebras.
Among mammals, zebras are among the most recognisable.They have appeared in art and stories all over the world.Unlike horses and donkeys, zebras have never been domesticated.The Grévy's zebra, the mountain zebra and the zebra plains are listed as near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.The quagga, a type of plains zebra, was wiped out in the 19th century.There are many protected areas where zebras can be found.
The English name "zebra" is derived from Italian, Spanish or Portuguese.The Latin equiferus meaning "wild horse" may have been its origin.Equiferus appears to have entered into Portuguese as zebro, which was originally a name for a horse in the wilds of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages.The Greeks and Romans referred to the zebra as a horse tiger.[3][4]
Over the course of the 20th century, the pronunciation with the short initial vowels became the norm in the UK and the Commonwealth.The pronunciation with a long initial vowels is standard in US English.A group of zebras is referred to as a herd.[7]
The zebras are classified as equines along with horses and asses.The family Equidae has three living groups.The plains zebra and mountain zebra were placed in the subgenus Hippotigris, while the Grévy's zebra was the sole species.The three species were placed in the subgenus Hippotigris.The plains zebra is more closely related to Grévy's zebras than the mountain zebra.The quagga was once classified as a distinct species.It has been found to be the same species as the plains zebra, either a subspecies or just the southernmost population.Evidence supports zebras as a monophyletic line.There are 13 and 17 days this year.
The most recent common ancestor of the equines within the range of 4.0 to 4.5 mya is thought to be the middle Pleistocene horse metapodial bone from Canada.The horses split from the zebras around 4 mya.The zebras and their ancestors entered Africa around 2.3 mya.The plains and mountain zebra differed from one another around 1.5 mya.There are 13 and 20 comments.
The cladogram is based on the work of Vilstrup and colleagues.
Some fossil zebras have also been identified.The Shungura Formation, Ethiopia and the Olduvai Gorge are home to the early zebra or equine.The remains of E. oldowayensis were found in Olduvai Gorge.The species may have been the descendant of the Grévy's zebra.The skulls of E. mauritanicus from Algeria date to around 1 mya and appear to be related to the plains zebra.The Cape zebra appeared around 2 mya and lived throughout southern and eastern Africa and may have been a relative of the plains zebra.36 and 33
The non-African equines that may have been in contact with zebras include E. sivalensis of the Indian subcontinent.The Eurasian E. ovodovi and the subgenus Sussemionus were placed as close to zebras as possible.[37]
Between plains and Grévy's zebra, there have been reports of hybrid animals.It is possible that the plains and mountain zebra are infertile due to the difference in chromosomes.Zebroids are bred with horses and donkeys.A zorse is a cross between a horse and a zebra, while a zonkey is between two animals.dwarfism may be a factor in the infertility of zebras.40
As with all wild equines, zebra have long, erect manes on their neck.Their legs are covered with a hard hoof and have a spade-shaped toe.They have large incisors that clip grass blades and are well suited for grinding.The spade-shaped canines can be used in fighting.The zebras' eyes are at the sides and far up the head, which allows them to see above the tall grass.Their long, erect ears can locate the source of a sound.[8][28][32]
Unlike horses, zebras and asses only have chestnut callosities on their front limbs.The zebra forelimbs are longer than the back limbs.Diagnostic features of the zebra skull include: its relatively small size with a straight profile, more projected eye sockets, narrower rostrum, reduced postorbital bar, and a V-shaped grooves between the teeth.[41]
Black-and-white striped zebras are easy to spot.The muzzle is dark and the skin underneath the coat is black, but the belly and legs are white.The general pattern extends from the forehead to the tail.The stripes stretch downward except on the rump, where they develop species-specific patterns, and near the nose.The shoulder stripes were created by stripes split above the front legs.There are stripes on the legs, ears and tail.There are different patterns around the eyes and lower jaw of zebras.[42]
Striping patterns are unique to each person.The stripes appear at eight months, but the patterns can be determined in three to five weeks.There is a point in the embryo where the stripes are close to each other.The plains zebra has three weeks of development, four weeks for the mountain zebra, and five for Grévy's zebra.The differences in timing are thought to be the reason for the different striping patterns of different species.[42]
Young or foals are born with brown and white coats.Various changes of the fur have been documented.There are white spots on dark background.The dark stripes on the Albino zebras are blonde.There were brown and white stripes on the head and neck of the quagga.[49]
The function of stripes in zebras has been discussed by biologists.Popular hypotheses include the following:
It is possible for zebras to migrate to better watered areas.Plains zebras are the longest land migration of mammals in Africa.They seem to rely on the locations where the best conditions were to migrate.Plains zebras live in more mesic environments than other species.They rarely travel more than 10 km from a water source.Grévy's zebras can live without water for almost a week, but will drink daily when there is enough water.Mountain zebras can be found at high altitudes.The zebras may sleep for seven hours a day.They sleep at night while standing up.They rub against trees, rocks, and other objects and roll around in dust for protection against flies.zebras can roll over completely.[28]
If their preferred foods are not available, zebras may consume bark, leaves, buds, fruits, and roots.Compared to ruminants, zebras have a simpler and less efficient digestive system.They can live on lower-quality vegetation.Depending on the availability and quality of vegetation, zebras can spend up to 80% of their time feeding.The plains zebra is a pioneer grazer that prepares the way for more specialized grazers by mowing down the upper, less healthy grass canopy.[83]
lions prey on zebras.There are animals that pose less of a threat to adults.Nile crocodiles prey on zebras.The defense tactics of a zebra are biting and kicking.When threatened by lions, zebras flee and are rarely effective in fighting off the big cats.The zebra can reach a speed of 68.4 km/h (42.5 mph) compared to the lion's maximum speed which is 35.8 mph.Within the first six seconds of breaking cover, a lion has to surprise a zebra.The study found that zebras do not escape lions by speed alone but by turning, especially when the predator is close behind.Smaller predatory animals like dogs and hyenas may make zebras act more aggressive in defense of their young.[88]
Two basic social structures exist for zebra species.Plains and mountain zebras live in closed family groups with one stallion, several mares and their offspring.They tend to be nomadic because they have their own home ranges.Stallions form and expand their harems by recruiting young mares.Even if a family stallion dies or is displaced, the stability of the group remains.Plains zebra groups live in a society.They gather into large herds and can create temporarily stable subgroup within a herd.The gelada and the hamadryas baboon are the only primate species that have seen this behavior.[8][28]
Females of these species benefit as males give them more time for feeding and protection from outside males.There is a linear dominance hierarchy for females in a harem.Harems travel in a consistent filing order with the high-ranking mares and their offspring leading the groups followed by the next- highest ranking mare and her offspring.The stallion is in the rear.Young of both sexes leave their groups as they mature; females are usually herded by outside males to be included as permanent members of their harems.[8][28]
Adult males establish large territories, marked by dung piles, and monopolise the females in Grévy's zebras.This species lives in habitats with sparser resources.Group of lactating females are able to stay in groups with nonlactating ones and usually gather at areas where they can find food.The territories established by the most dominant males are near watering holes.Subdominants have territories farther away.When they are young, mares stay in one territory.Staying in a territory gives a female protection from harassment by outside males as well as access to a renewable resource.[8][28]
Men gather in bachelor groups.Young males are not yet ready to establish a harem or territory.The males in a bachelor group have a linear dominance hierarchy and strong bonds.When the herd moves, the bachelor groups tend to trail behind.Mountain zebra bachelor groups may include young females that have recently left their group, as well as old males who have lost their harems.A territorial Grévy's zebra stallion can tolerate non-territorial bachelors who wander in their territory if a mare is present.Most of the activities of a bachelor are play fights and greeting/challenge rituals.[28]
Fights between males usually involve biting and kicking.In plains zebra, stallions fight each other over recently matured mares to bring into their group and her family stallion will fight off other males trying to abduct her.Harem stallions are usually not challenged if they are healthy.The new stallion gradually takes over, pushing the old one out without a fight.Male Grévy's zebras have agonistic behavior at the border of their territories.[28]
When meeting for the first time or after they have separated, individuals may greet each other by rubbing and sniffing their noses, followed by touching their bodies and genitals.They can rest their heads on one another by rubbing and pressing their shoulders against each other.The greeting is usually performed by harem or territorial males.Plains and mountain zebras strengthen their social bonds with grooming.A harem nips and rubs along the neck, shoulder, and back with their teeth and lips.Between mothers and foals, and between stallions and mares.A person's grooming shows their social status.Although Grévy's zebras do not perform social grooming, they do sometimes rub against one another.[23]
There are a number of noises produced by zebras.The plains zebra has a distinctive, high-pitched contact call.The call of the Grévy's zebra has been described as "something like a Hippos grunt combined with a donkeys wheeze", while the mountain zebra is relatively silent.Loud snorting in zebras is associated with alarm.When in pain, squealing is usually made by men.The flexibility of the zebra's lips allows them to make complex facial expressions.The positions of the head, ears, and tail are included in visual displays.A zebra may kick by laying back its ears and lashing the tail.Flattened ears, bared teeth, and abrupt movement of the heads may be used as threatening gestures.[28]
In Grévy's zebras, the adult females only mate with their harem stallion, while the males have larger testes for sperm competition.Physical signs of oestrus in female zebras include frequent urination, flowing mucus, and swollen labia.When in the presence of a male, females in oestrous will stand with their hind legs spread and raise their tails.The male will look at the female's reproductive state with a curled lip and bared teeth and she will back in to have sex.Most mares come into oestrus within a few days after foaling, depending on conditions, but the length of gestation varies by species.Competition for older females is almost non-existent in harem-holding species because oestrus in a female becomes less noticeable to outside males as she gets older.[26]
A single foal can run within an hour of birth.New mothers prevent other mares from approaching their foals because a newborn zebra will follow anything that moves.foals may nurse for eight to thirteen months after a few weeks.Living in an arid environment, Grévy's zebras do not drink water until they are three months old.92
In plains and mountain zebras, foals are mostly cared for by their mothers, but if threatened by pack-hunting hyenas and dogs, the entire group works together to protect all the young.The stallion will rush at any predator that comes too close to the group of foals.In Grévy's zebras, mothers may gather into small groups and leave their young in "kindergartens" guarded by a territorial male while searching for water.A stallion may look after a foal in his territory to make sure the mother stays.Plains zebra stallions are generally tolerant of foals that are not theirs and may practice infanticide and feticide via violence to the pregnant mare.93
zebras are one of the most recognisable mammals with their distinctive black-and-white stripes.The most elegant quadrupeds have been associated with beauty and grace.Some wildlife photographers say that zebras are the most photographed animal.Animals have become a staple in children's stories and art.They are often used to represent the letter 'Z' in children's alphabet books and are among the last animals to be featured in a dictionary.Body paintings, dress, furniture and architecture all use zebra stripes.95
African art and culture has featured zebras for thousands of years.They are depicted in rock art in Southern Africa from about 28,000 to 20,000 years ago.The story of how the zebra got its stripes has been told many times.The proverb "a man without culture is like a zebra without stripes" has become popular in Africa and beyond.The San people associated zebra stripes with water, rain and lighting because of its dazzling pattern.[98]
The zebra is a totem animal and is praised in a poem as an "iridescent and glittering creature".At the ruined city of Great Zimbabwe, zebra stripes decorate what is believed to be a domba, a premarital school meant to initiate girls into adulthood.Madhuve is a given name for girls in Zimbabwe in the Shona language.During colonial and post-colonial Africa, zebras have been depicted on stamps.The zebra was both black and white for people of the African diaspora.[97]
Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, is depicted riding a zebra in a comic book and Osa Johnson was photographed riding one.The film Racing Stripes features a captive zebra ostracised from the horses and ending up being ridden by a girl.In films and television shows, zebras have been featured as characters.100
The zebra is a popular subject for paintings.Christopher Wood's Zebra and Parachute is one of the notable zebra art.zebras were depicted as mere bands of black and white and joined together in a puzzle fashion by Victor Vasarely.Carel Weight's Escape of the Zebra from the Zoo during an Air Raid was based on a real life incident of a zebra escaping during the bombing of London Zoo and consists of four panels like a comic book.Zebras have lent themselves to products and advertisements, notably for 'Zebra Grate Polish' cleaning supplies by British manufacturer Reckitt and Sons.
Since at least the Roman Empire, zebras have been kept in captivity.For diplomatic reasons, captive zebras have been shipped around the world.A zebra and other exotic animals were sent as gifts by Sultan Baibars of Egypt.The Yongle Emperor of China received a zebra in 1417 as a gift.The fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir received a zebra from Ethiopia in 1620 and commissioned a painting of the animal, which was completed by Ustad Mansur.The Dutch governor of Jakarta received two zebras from Ethiopia in the 1670s.The Dutch would give these animals to the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan.104
The zebra became a source of fascination for the people of Britain after Queen Charlotte received it as a wedding gift.Many people came to see it at Buckingham Palace.It was referred to as "The Queen's Ass" and was the subject of an oil painting by George Stubbs.The zebra gained a reputation for kicking visitors.The zebra that Ethiopia sent to Jules Grévy was named after him.[9]