Hobbies And Interests
Plains Zebra
The plains zebra is the most common zebra identified by humans and found in open grassy plains or well-grassed woodlands n eastern and southeastern Africa. This medium-sized, thick-bodied zebra has short legs and stands at 4.6 feet high at the shoulder. Plains zebras are 8 feet long and weigh about 646 lbs. Despite human activities, hunting zebra for meat and invasion of habitat the plains zebra population is still healthy. They are the noisiest of the zebra family and are vertically striped in black and white with no two looking alike.
Mountain Zebra
Native to Southwestern Angola, Namibia and southwest Africa, the mountain zebra prefers slopes and plateaus and resides in dry, stony mountains and hilly habitats. They are covered in black and white stripes excluding their stomach. Distinct features include four one-toed hoofs, slender pointed ears 8 inches in length and tail length of up to 20 inches. The mountain zebra is peculiar and digs in the ground in search of water. They are 7.3 feet long, stand 4 to 4.5 feet tall to the shoulder and weigh 573 to 815 lbs.
Grevy's Zebra
Also known as a desert zebra, the Grevy's zebras have large heads, large and round ears, thick erect manes and are similar to mules. This zebra is 5 1/2 feet at the shoulder, 9 feet long and weigs up to 990 lbs. with the males being 10 percent larger. Inhabiting the semi-desert areas, arid grasslands and dusty acacia savannas, this zebra lives in northern Kenya and southern and eastern Ethiopia.
Conservation
Man has impacted the zebra population and still hunts for the animals' meat and skin. Humans have also poached the zebra's habitat due to human activity such as construction and oil drilling. Droughts and a lack of food has caused a decrease in population size. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Grevy's zebra is endangered, while the mountain zebra is vulnerable and the plains zebra is the least of concern. Many of the zebras are protected in national parks.