SANParks.org Forums

Besides the obvious how does one tell the difference between a male and female zebra??

By the stripes. A male has a narrow black stripe running vertically between their hind legs; in females the stipe is wide.

Illustrating the difference between these two zebs:


Burchell's Zebra (Kruger Park)



Cape Mountain Zebra (Mountain Zebra NP)

I have noticed on some zebra's that they have scars. It can only be from getting away. Look at the pic in this message, the lines on his bum don't line up, so obviously this fella got away from being hunted with the scars to prove it. Anyone else have similar pics or pics of animals minus the tail etc? I'm gonna go and find a scanner, I have a remarkable pic of an Impala as well, but it's on film

Got this one in May on the S100

Saw several animals which looked like they'd had a close shave - seemed to be the trip of the maimed beasties!

Some very lucky zebs around:-

Plains Zebra (Equus burchelli)
- Grant's Zebra
- Crawshay's Zebra
- Upper Zambezi Zebra
- Chapman's Zebra
- Damara Zebra
- Burchell's zebra (extinct)
- Quagga (extinct)
Grevy's Zebra (Equus greyvi)
Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra)
- Cape Mountain Zebra
- Hartmann's Mountain Zebra

Here is more info on Zebra.

(The five was from the top of my head...)

Below some photos of interesting "deformities" (for the lack of a better word) that we have seen in Zebra. It would be interesting to see photos taken of such conditions by other forum members.

In these 2 photos the lack of a stripe pattern on the animal on the left compared to the other animals in the herd was quite noticeable.




This one has a "floppy"

Burchellle's and plains zebra are the same species, hence the scientific name equus burcheli for plains zebra

I agree with you Bunduboi!

Zebra

Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Equidae
Genus: Equus

Zebras (members of the Zebra Family), are native to central and southern Africa. All have vividly contrasting black and white vertical stripes (hence the zebra crossing named after it) on the forequarters, often tending towards the horizontal at the rear of the animal. Originally, most zoologists assumed that the stripes acted as a camouflage mechanism, while others believed them to play a role in social interactions, with slight variations of the pattern allowing the animals to distinguish between individuals. A more recent theory, supported by experiment, posits that the disruptive coloration is an effective means of confusing the visual system of the blood-sucking tsetse fly.

A zebra can travel at a top speed of fifty-five kilometres per hour, slower than a horse. However, it has much greater stamina. During the course of a day the plains zebra can walk around forty kilometres (from its herd, and back again in the evening)

There are three species and many subspecies. Zebra populations vary a great deal, and the relationships between and the taxonomic status of several of the subspecies are unclear.

The Plains Zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchelli) is the most common, and has or had about five subspecies distributed across much of southern and eastern Africa. It, or particular subspecies of it, have also been known as the Common Zebra, the Dauw, Burchell's Zebra (actually the extinct subspecies, Equus quagga burchelli), and the Quagga (another extinct subspecies, Equus quagga quagga).

The Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra) of southwest Africa tends to have a sleek coat with a white belly and narrower stripes than the Plains Zebra. It has two subspecies and is classified as endangered.

Grevy's Zebra (Equus grevyi) is the largest type, with an erect mane, and a long, narrow head making it appear rather mule-like. It is a creature of the semi-arid grasslands of Ethiopia, Somalia, and northern Kenya. It is endangered too.

Family Equida
Przewalski's Horse, Equus przewalskii
Domestic Horse, Equus caballus
Donkey or African Ass, Equus asinus
Onager or Asiatic Ass, Equus hemionus
Plains Zebra, Equus quagga
Quagga, Equus quagga quagga (extinct)
Burchell's Zebra, Equus quagga burchelli (rediscovered)
Grant's Zebra, Equus quagga boehmi
Chapman's Zebra, Equus quagga antiquorum
Selous' Zebra, Equus quagga selousi
Mountain Zebra, Equus zebra
Cape Mountain Zebra, Equus zebra zebra
Hartmann's Zebra, Equus zebra hartmanni
Grevy's Zebra, Equus grevyi
(no subspecies)

Source Wikipedia

There was some taxonomic debate over the correct specific name for the plains zebra. More info on the the Extinction Website.
The taxonomy previously used by Duncan (1992) continues to be used on the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species by the Equid Specialist Group.

Pictures and soundclip at Encarta

More zebra info.

Krokodile wrote:



I read in the book "Beat about the bush" under the question "why do some zebras have no tail?" that the zebras "with stumpy tails invariably stallions are that have had some part of the tail bitten off by other stallions in fights over mares, or during fights in bachelor herds."

So, according to the writer a lot of times it is not a predator but another zebra!

A Mountain Zebra photographed during our recent trip to Mountain Zebra NP.

Agree on that.... Seen it myself

Mmm not only in Zebras...
something to do with testosterone methinks