Plains Zebra
Scientific name: Equus quagga
Common name: Plains Zebra
Afrikaans: Sebra
Setswana: Pitsi ya naga
Description
Zebras have black fur with white stripes and predominantly white bellies. Their feet are capped with a singular, hard hoof, which packs a punch when kicked at predators. They have large, rounded ears with lots of hair to keep dust out of them. Their tail has long, black hair that begins approximately midway down the tail, while the top is striped.
Habitat
Most of these interesting animals prefer living in savanna woodlands and grasslands without trees. They cannot be found in deserts, wetlands, or rainforests. The mountain variety lives in rocky mountainous areas. Unfortunately, the availability of habitat for all zebras is shrinking, resulting in population decline.
Diet
Zebras are exclusively herbivorous, meaning that they only eat plants. Their diet is almost entirely made up of grasses, but they also eat leaves, bark, shrubs, and more. They spend most of their time grazing on grasses, and then regurgitating and re-chewing those grasses, called “cud.”
Behaviour
Zebras are highly social creatures and different species have different social structures. In some species, one stallion guards a harem of females, while other species remain in groups, but do not form strong social bonds. They can frequently change herd structure and will change companions every few months.
Conservation Status
Plains Zebra Equus quagga has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016. Equus quagga is listed as Near Threatened.