[28] 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. Answer. Mountain zebras number near 35,000 individuals and their population appears to be increasing. google_color_link = "006699"; Spec. Scientific name. The last sighting was in 1973. 2005) as well as the Horn of Africa Deserts Global 200 Ecoregion. In the 21st century, zebra hides still sell for $1,000 and $2,000, and they are taken by trophy hunters. [42], Young or foals are born with brown and white coats, and the brown darkens with age. & Pearson 1987, Cons. The staggering birth rate is kept under control naturally by predators in the outdoors, but owls, hawks, cats and other hunters are absent from the typical attic or basement. distances within 45 minutes of birth. Mountain zebras are from 3.8 to 4.9 feet (116 to 150 cm) tall at the shoulder and weigh 529 to 820 lbs. The estrous cycle or reproductive cycle, the recurring reproductive cycle is 28/30-33 days, depending on the subspecies. (Kingdon 1997). [47] Albino zebras have been recorded in the forests of Mount Kenya, with the dark stripes being blonde. [15][16] Molecular evidence supports zebras as a monophyletic lineage. This is the match sheet of the Tohoku Soccer League (Div.1) game between Morioka Zebra and Blancdieu Hirosaki on Jul 10, 2016. [84] Biting and kicking are a zebra's defense tactics. Footage shows the zebra foal walking, while seeking the protection of its mother. The gestation period for zebra reproduction takes around 12 to 13 months. The plains zebra has a distinctive, high-pitched contact call (commonly called "barking") heard as "a-ha, a-ha, a-ha" or "kwa-ha, kaw-ha, ha, ha". Zebras are primarily grazers and can subsist on lower-quality vegetation. They seldom wander 10–12 km (6.2–7.5 mi) from a wate… Birth intervals depend mainly on the delay of conception after birth (Puschmann 2003, Barnier et al. [28] Plains and mountain zebras strengthen their social bonds with grooming. [48] The quagga had brown and white stripes on the head and neck, brown upper parts and a white belly, tail and legs.[49]. Important areas for the Grévy's zebra include Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary and Chelbi Sanctuary in Ethiopia and Buffalo Springs, Samburu and Shaba National Reserves in Kenya. This greeting is usually performed among harem or territorial males or among bachelor males playing. [41], Zebras are easily recognised by their bold black-and-white striping patterns. Zebras[a] (subgenus Hippotigris) are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. (Duncan 1992). Visual displays also incorporate the positions of the head, ears, and tail. [13] The extinct quagga was originally classified as a distinct species. [114] Zebra meat was mainly eaten by European colonisers; among African cultures only the San are known to eat it regularly. Squealing is usually made when in pain, but bachelors also squeal while play fighting. sq km (4000 sq mi) (Duncan 1992). mortality rates observed during the period from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2003. Tidbits there. Zebras share the genus Equus with horses and asses, the three groups being the only living members of the family Equidae. In reserves, another threat results from uncontrolled tourism, which causes 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. Zebra #2 (Huffman 2004). The population has reached carrying capacity. 2004, IUCN 1994, IUCN 1996, [8][28][89] With the plains zebra, the males in a bachelor group have strong bonds and have a linear dominance hierarchy. Gr. 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. Grevy's zebra lives in semi-arid bush/grass mosaics with a preference for tracts of Who doesn't love being #1? A lion has to surprise a zebra within the first six seconds of breaking cover. Grasses make up about 70% of the Grevy's zebra's diet. Leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, brown hyenas and wild dogs pose less of a threat to adults. †E. google_ad_height = 90; The San people associated zebra stripes with water, rain and lighting because of its dazzling pattern, and water spirits were conceived of having zebra stripes. Several theories have been proposed for the function of these stripes, with most evidence supporting them as a form of protection from biting flies. close to water. To Impalas safety in numbers and a high birth rate is an important survival strategy that has served them well for thousands of years. [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 rubbing their cheeks, moving their noses along their bodies and sniffing each other's genitals. *** A young Grevy's zebra can walk within a half hour of birth and can run for short The skins were traded or used locally. arid-adapted [African] wild ass and water-loving common zebra. The plains zebra is the national animal of Botswana and zebras have been depicted on stamps during colonial and post-colonial Africa. grassland growing on deep sand, hard-pans, sumplands and in areas where fire and elephants prerogatives. The difference in male/female weight can be up to 25% to 30%. different associations that usually do not last longer than a few months. It lives in arid, open bushed The function of stripes in zebras has been discussed among biologists since at least the 19th century. Zebroids are usually infertile and may suffer from dwarfism. 1996, Stuart & Struart 1996, van Dierendonck & de Vries 1996, WCMC/WWF 1997, Home | Rarest Animal Providing that husbandry requirements are being maintained to a high standard, diseases and infection outbreaks are usually avoided. However growth will not be sustained for ever and resources will start to drain. Newborn foals can stand after six minutes, walk after 20 minutes, and they can run after an hour. days. [7], Zebras are classified in the genus Equus (known as equines) along with horses and asses. months of age. [89] By contrast, plains zebra stallions are generally intolerant of foals that are not theirs and may practice infanticide and feticide via violence to the pregnant mare. range. It is hoped the new additions will diversify the gene pool, lead to increased birth rates, and ultimately help to ensure the long-term survival of the Grevy’s zebra, the statement further read. [8][28][89], In all species, excess males gather in bachelor groups. Rates of birth, mortality, and age at first conception were assumed to be the sum of density‐independent factors (excluding rainfall), and rainfall‐dependent factors (after Owen‐Smith 2000). This page was last edited on 2 December 2020, at 21:47. Both the birth and death rate are given per 1,000 people of the country's population. 125 to 150 centimeters in length (50-60 inches) Life span. They regularly rub against trees, rocks, and other objects and roll around in dust for protection against flies and irritation. Gestation and Birth. May occur in Sudan. are territorial, with territories of up to 12 Equus grevyi. It … In the late 1980's it occurred in three isolated populations: Kenya, north of the Tana River; Ethiopia, on the east side of Omo River to Lake [8][28][89], In the more arid-living Grévy's zebras, adults have more fluid associations and adult males establish large territories, marked by dung piles, and monopolise the females that enter them. [110][111][112] Civil wars in some countries have also caused declines in zebra populations. (240 to 372 kg), according to the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.Plains zebras are 3.6 t… The sole natural factor limiting the mouse population in the home is the limitation of resources such as food. Zebras inhabit eastern and southern Africa and can be found in a variety of habitats such as savannahs, grasslands, woodlands, shrublands and mountainous areas. 1995, MacMahon 1996). Notwithstanding the uncertainty in these estimates, most scholars agree that significant depopulation of Indigenous peoples took place aft… established territories are the focal points. A zebra is born with camouflage stripes, immediate mobility and a mother's lessons of survival skills. Zebras communicate with various vocalisations, body postures and facial expressions. Historically, they have been highly sought after by exotic animal collectors, but unlike horses and donkeys, zebras have never been truly domesticated. for Decline) [100], Zebras have been popular subjects for paintings, particularly for abstract, modernist and surrealist artists. males weigh 380 - 450 kg (avg 430 kg) (836 - 990 lb (avg 950 lb)). In contrast to other living equines, zebra forelimbs are longer than their back limbs. It is possible that having evolved under pressure from the many large predators of Africa, including early humans, they became more aggressive, thus making domestication more difficult. It can also be found natively on Timor island. Most Grevy's zebras surviving in Ethiopia are in A number of estimates have been produced using a variety of assumptions and methods. Among harem-holding species, this behaviour has otherwise only been observed in primates such as the gelada and the hamadryas baboon. Zebras are threatened by hunting for their hide and meat, and habitat change from farming. north of Mount Kenya and the Tana River, and east into western Somalia. IUCN 2000, IUCN Zebra mussels are described as poor O2 regulators, possibly explaining their low success rate in colonizing eutrophic lakes and the hypolimnion. [111][119], The Quagga Project An organisation that selectively breeds zebras to recreate the hair coat pattern of the quagga, Black and white striped animals in the horse family, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, International Union for Conservation of Nature, State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe, "Mitochondrial phylogenomics of modern and ancient equids", "A rapid loss of stripes: The evolutionary history of the extinct quagga", "Mitochondrial‐DNA timetable and the evolution of, "Mitochondrial DNA evolution in the genus, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, "Pliocene and Pleistocene equids: palaeontology versus molecular biology", "The Equidae from Cooper's D, an early Pleistocene fossil locality in Gauteng, South Africa", "Complete mitochondrial genome of an extinct, "Hold Your Zorses: The sad truth about animal hybrids", "Extremely Rare 'Blonde' Zebra Photographed", Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, "Benefits of zebra stripes: behaviour of tabanid flies around zebras and horses", "How the zebra got its stripes: a problem with too many solutions", "Experimental evidence that stripes do not cool zebras", "Polarotactic tabanids find striped patterns with brightness and/or polarization modulation least attractive: an advantage of zebra stripes", "Cows painted with zebra-like striping can avoid biting fly attack", "Striped bodypainting protects against horseflies", "A newly discovered wildlife migration in Namibia and Botswana is the longest in Africa", "Memory, not just perception, plays an important role in terrestrial mammalian migration", "Biomechanics of predator–prey arms race in lion, zebra, cheetah and impala", "Sperm competition and variation in zebra mating behavior". The stability of the group remains even when the family stallion dies or is displaced. The birth took place in the Royal Burgers’ Zoo, in Arnhem, Netherlands, on Nov. 11. However, this happens at three weeks of development for the plains zebra, four weeks for the mountain zebra, and five for Grévy's zebra. [26][28][79] Grévy's zebras can survive almost a week without water but will drink daily when it is plentiful and conserve water well. 2004: Occurs in Ethiopia and Kenya. Despite these benefits, predation and extinction loom. [96], For the Shona people, the zebra is a totem animal and is praised in a poem as an "iridescent and glittering creature". An easy way to measure the growth or decline of a population is to examine birth and death rates over time. A solitary breeding stallion maintains a large territory and associates with [28] In harem-holding species, oestrus in a female becomes less noticeable to outside males as she gets older, hence competition for older females is virtually nonexistent. of Africa Biodiversity The stripes on the legs, ears and tail are separate and horizontal. to competition with increasing herds of domestic livestock, is the primary threat to the [26][23] Various mutations of the fur have been documented, from mostly white to mostly black. "Early birth linked to greater risk of hospital visits during childhood: Findings indicate that gestational age at birth is a strong predictor of ill health throughout childhood." The English name "zebra" dates back to c. 1600, deriving from Italian, Spanish or Portuguese. Zebra stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual. [9][10][11] Groves and Bell (2004) placed all three species in the subgenus Hippotigris. There are no permanent bonds between adults. they do not interfere with the resident stallion when he is mating. [23], Zebras produce a number of vocalisations and noises. Litter size: 1 to 3 cubs. These groups have their own home ranges, which overlap, and they tend to be nomadic. due to irrigation, has decreased the availability of surface water in parts of its Kenyan [92], In plains and mountain zebras, foals are cared for mostly by their mothers, but if threatened by pack-hunting hyenas and dogs, the entire group works together to protect all the young. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, its range expanded rapidly throughout the Great Lakes Basin and connected inland waterways of the northern and central United States and Canada (Griffiths et al., 1991; Martel, 1995; Nalepa et al., 1995; Strayer et al., 1996). sq km (4.6 sq mi). [1][2] Its origins may lay in the Latin equiferus meaning "wild horse"; from equus ("horse") and ferus ("wild, untamed"). †E. Equiferus appears to have entered into Portuguese as ezebro or zebro, which was originally a name for a mysterious (possibly feral) equine in the wilds of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. Poaching of Grevy's zebra skins for use in fashion was a major problem during the When threatened by lions, zebras flee, and when caught they are rarely effective in fighting off the big cats. The Plaid Zebra February 8, 2016 BY: CAROLINE ROLF Japan is rejecting a custom that comes as human nature to most. [88], Zebra species have two basic social structures. Females are receptive to mating for three or four days within a widely variable reproductive cycle. The quagga was probably vulnerable to extinction due to its limited distribution, and it may have competed with domestic livestock for forage. [28], Zebras eat primarily grasses and sedges but may also consume bark, leaves, buds, fruits, and roots if their favoured foods are scarce. [9], Attempts to domesticate zebras were largely unsuccessful. Notable zebra art includes Christopher Wood's Zebra and Parachute, Lucian Freud's The Painter's Room and Quince on a Blue Table and the various paintings of Mary Fedden and Sidney Nolan. Nevertheless, they can subsist on lower-quality vegetation. [3] In ancient times, the zebra was called hippotigris ("horse tiger") by the Greeks and Romans. Be the first to answer! [79] Mountain zebra bachelor groups may also include young females that have recently left their natal group, as well as old males they have lost their harems. [81] Zebras may spend seven hours a day sleeping. Zebra species differ in social behaviour, 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; while Grévy's zebra live alone or in loosely associated herds. They seldom wander 10–12 km (6.2–7.5 mi) from a water source. In the Shona language, the name madhuve means "woman/women of the zebra totem" and is a given name for girls in Zimbabwe. have degraded the dominant Acacia/Commiphora woodlands. Birth Rate: A mare usually bears 1 young at a time. 2. Zebra are identified by photos of the stripe pattern on their right rump, which is analysed by computer software. Maximum Age: Up to 18 years in the wild. google_color_border = "ffffff"; Young are generally weaned at about 8 - 13 [103] In later times, captive zebras have been shipped around the world, often for diplomatic reasons. Nevertheless, zebras can be found in numerous protected areas. .mw-parser-output table.clade{border-spacing:0;margin:0;font-size:100%;line-height:100%;border-collapse:separate;width:auto}.mw-parser-output table.clade table.clade{width:100%;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-label{width:0.7em;padding:0 0.15em;vertical-align:bottom;text-align:center;border-left:1px solid;border-bottom:1px solid;white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-fixed-width{overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-fixed-width:hover{overflow:visible}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-label.first{border-left:none;border-right:none}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-label.reverse{border-left:none;border-right:1px solid}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-slabel{padding:0 0.15em;vertical-align:top;text-align:center;border-left:1px solid;white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-slabel:hover{overflow:visible}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-slabel.last{border-left:none;border-right:none}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-slabel.reverse{border-left:none;border-right:1px solid}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-bar{vertical-align:middle;text-align:left;padding:0 0.5em;position:relative}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-bar.reverse{text-align:right;position:relative}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-leaf{border:0;padding:0;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-leafR{border:0;padding:0;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output table.clade td.clade-leaf.reverse{text-align:right}.mw-parser-output table.clade:hover span.linkA{background-color:yellow}.mw-parser-output table.clade:hover span.linkB{background-color:green}, In addition to the three extant species, some fossil zebras have also been identified. Zebras have become staples in children's stories and wildlife-themed art, such as depictions of Noah's Ark. [40], As with all wild equines, zebra have barrel-chested bodies with tufted tails, elongated faces and long necks with long, erect manes. Birth Rate: A mare usually bears 1 young at a time. Females associate in nursing groups, males in Birth: January or early February. Diet: Grasses make up about 70% of the Grevy's zebra's diet. Males assess the female's reproductive state with a curled lip and bared teeth (flehmen response) and the female will solicit mating by backing in. Zebra Danio are usually straight forward and easy to care for. Flattened ears, bared teeth, and abrupt movement of the heads may be used as threatening gestures, particularly among stallions. The largest zebra is the Grevy's zebra, according to the San Diego Zoo. They are depicted in rock art in Southern Africa dating from 28,000 to 20,000 years ago, though not as commonly as antelope species like eland. threat, due to protection under CITES. [6] A group of zebras is referred to as a herd, dazzle, or zeal. [42], Striping patterns are unique to an individual and heritable. The map below shows the distribution of zebra mussels in 2010. Similar to humans, Female gorillas give birth to 1 offspring per delivery, and rarely produce twins. The most successful males win grassy territories northeast of Lake Turkana in Ethiopia, south into Victor Vasarely depicted zebras as mere bands of black and white and joined together in a jigsaw puzzle fashion. Soon after birth, foals are able to stand up and walk. google_ad_type = "text"; They are dependent on their mothers for milk until they reach about six to eight months of age. Contact Us.. 1992: Extinct. [26][28] Plains zebras have been recorded travelling 500 km (310 mi) between Namibia and Botswana, the longest land migration of mammals in Africa. grazing habitat and access to water, due to competition with increasing herds of domestic Map #1 (31 Kb GIF) (IUCN/SSC Eq. Plains zebra groups also live in a fission–fusion society. google_ad_channel =""; Diet: Grasses make up about 70% of the Grevy's zebra's diet. Zwai, and Somalia. bachelor groups and all classes may join up in large, mixed herds, with none of these population growth = (birth rate + immigration) – (death rate + emigration) answer choices ... and a zebra population has plenty of water. The young zebra gets its nutrition from its mother's milk and will continue to nurse throughout its first year. Early Development: Young are generally weaned at about 8 - 13 months of age. Additional threats are due to reduced river flow, due to irrigation, and The former Westlife singer, 40, and the PE teacher, 39, shared the joyous news in an interview with OK!, revealing that their bundle of joy is due … The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Grévy's zebra as endangered, the mountain zebra as vulnerable and the plains zebra as near-threatened. These estimates of North America’s Indigenous populations, excluding Mexico, range from 1.5 million to 7 million, to as many as 18 million. Be the first to answer this question. They also compete with livestock for food and water and fencing blocks their migration routes. Spec. The fly protection hypothesis holds that the stripes deter biting flies. More than ever, the birth of a baby zebra is something to marvel at and celebrate, given the fact that two of the three species of zebra … [28], Among plains and mountain zebras, the adult females mate only with their harem stallion, while in Grévy's zebras, mating is more promiscuous and the males have larger testes for sperm competition. [80][23] Mountain zebras can be found at elevations of up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft). B. groupings lasting longer than a few months. 1980e, Oryx 1981c, Schuhmacher 1967, Shefferly [77] When migrating, they appear to rely on some memory of the locations where foraging conditions were best and may predict conditions months after their arrival. Loss of grazing habitat and access to water, due Female Grevy's zebras return to localized birthing areas that appear to be traditional. E. zebra. 2003a, IUCN