Zebras
COMMON NAME: Plains zebras
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Equus quagga
TYPE: Mammals
DIET: Herbivore
GROUP NAME: Herd or Dazzle
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 25 years
SIZE: Height at the shoulder: 3.5 to 5 feet
WEIGHT: 440 to 990 pounds
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1. Zebras stick together in herds. Within a herd, zebras tend to stay together in smaller family groups. Families are generally made up of a male, several females, and their young.
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2. As a zebra grazes, it uses its sharper front teeth to bite the grass, and then uses its duller back teeth to crush and grind. A zebra's teeth keep growing for its entire life, because constant grazing and chewing wears them down.
3. Zebras are constantly on the move to find fresh grass and water. Sometimes they gather in huge herds of thousands as they migrate to better feeding grounds. They often travel in mixed herds with other grazers and browsers, such as wildebeest.
4. Zebras groom one another. If you see two zebras standing close to each other and it looks like they're biting each other, don't worry. They're pulling loose hairs off each other as they groom. Grooming also feels good to a zebra—it's like having an itch scratched.
5. While most zebras are least endangered, Grevy's zebra is classified as endangered.
6. They can run up to 40 miles per hour.
7. Zebra stripes are unique like finger prints.
Their black and white stripes are unique and are as distinctive as human fingerprints. When a foal is born, they have reddish-brown stripes which gradually become darker and change to black as they grow.
8. Their white and black stripes of a zebra help keep them camouflaged, as it can distract and confuse any predators such as lions. Lions are color blind, so when they see a herd of zebras it’s confusing as everything is in black and white.
9. New born foals can stand after six minutes.
10. Zebras mostly eat grass, but can also eat bark, fruit and leaves and spend most of their time grazing (approximately 60%).
11. Zebras are part of the horse and donkey family.
Horses and zebras are closely related, they’re not the same species, but they are part of the same family, the Equidae family, also known as the Equus family. Although part of the same family, zebras aren’t practical to ride like horses, mainly because they are smaller and they have a very different temperament to horses.
12. A herd or a group of zebras can also be called a dazzle?
13. Zebras can fall asleep standing up as they have locking joints, they don’t have to worry about falling over, and it ensures they can escape quickly if predators are about. They do need to lie down to enjoy a deep sleep.
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14. Zebras inhabit eastern and southern Africa and can be found in a variety of habitats such as savannahs, grasslands, woodlands, shrublands, and mountainous areas. Many native zebra habitats range from 70 degrees Fahrenheit to the 90's. Our zebras in North Carolina are very happy with the climate.
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Zebras are quite cold tolerant so even North Carolina winters are fine for them. They normally aren't interested in the barn until it is about 40 degrees. Zebras can easily tolerate North Carolina winters.