Equus quagga boehmi
Serengeti NP, Tanzania Summer 1998
The common zebra
Serengeti NP, Tanzania Summer 1998
The common zebra
The common zebra is a muscular horse, with a short neck and sturdy legs.
The stripes show much regional and individual variation, to the extent that when a calf is born it is the stripes that enable it to identify the mother from all the other candidates.
Common zebras are known to live for 40 years.
Up to six females and their young live in very stable harems led by a stallion.Normally only harem stallions mate with the harem mares. Fierce fights with competing intruding stallions sometimes occur.
Common zebras are extremely vocal, and each harem stallion has his individual song used to reunite the group.
They are adaptable grazers, mostly mowing short lawns, but flowering plants as well.
Habitat
from savannah to woodland, totally dependent on frequent drinking
Distribution
Formerly all of non-forest, non-desertic Africa, now from southern Sudan
to Cape peninsula, with scattered populations
Status
modern agriculture has led to their wide extermination, outside national
parks some populations may become vulnerable or endangered in the near future
Source: Jonathan Kingdon (2001): The Kingdon field guide to African mammals. London: Academic Press
ML-98
Young zebra in Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Summer 1998
 Color aberration |
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Check also other categories for pictures of zebra: Savannah
