Hobbies And Interests
Physical Characteristics
A zebra's body resembles that of a horse although their tails and mane vary somewhat. Zebras have long, flat teeth and eat a variety of grasses. A zebra's coat is a source of camouflage, and its shiny fibers also dissipate over 70 percent of incoming heat. Three species of zebra live in Africa -- the Burchell's zebra, the Grevy's zebra and the Equus zebra.
Habitat
Although these three species have similar colorings, they vary slightly in size and habitat. The Burchell's zebra, or common zebra, inhabits the savannas and grasslands of the Serengeti plains. Grevy's zebras, which are slightly larger than Burchell's, are mainly found in Northern areas of Kenya. Equus Zebras, also known as mountain zebras, are considered a threatened species and live mainly in the deserts and semi-deserts of Southwestern Africa. The weather, dirt, rocks and stones of these environments are the only abiotic factors in a zebra's environment.
Predators and Threats
Zebras are a main part of the food chains of several predators, including lions, hyenas, leopards and cheetahs. Despite this, zebras are known to encircle attacking predators to counter the attack and scare the predators away. Zebras will also encircle members of the herd that are injured, in hopes of preventing another attack.
Behavior
Zebra herds are actually highly structured social systems, led by one alpha male stallion. When a new foal is born, the mother keeps the foal completely separate from the herd until the foal has learned to recognize her by voice, sight and smell. Male foals are also close to their fathers but leave the family group between the ages of 1 and 4 to join all male groups until they are strong enough to head a family.