Zebra

Zebra is cousin of horse. It is the only big mammal in white and black stripes. It has a crest and tail. Zebra is the nicest of all allied animals. It is long 2 meters and 20 cm(plus 75 cm. long tail) and heigh 1,25 – 1,35 meters. The weight of zebras is 225-420 kg. They live 20-40 years(in zoo).

Zebra lives in flocks of many animals(sometimes in the dry season – thousands of zebras in one flock) In the flock lives one male and some females with their cubs i.e. around 15 animals.

There are three species of zebras. The first species lives in Sudan near Zambezi river. The other species lives in Ethiopia, Somalia and Tansania and the third species lives in Africa mountains.

Zebras can gallop on long distance. Their enemies are lions, wild dogs, leopards. Zebras have good hearing and sense of smell.

What do zebras eat?

Zebra eats the stiff stems of corns, that antilopas avoid. Also they eat leaves, twigs. They drink water daily.

You can often see zebras and antilopas to graze together.

Baby zebra
Zebras bear every year. They are pregnant for 1 year and bear one cub. Zebra’s cubs weigh 30-35 kg. They start grazing 15 days later, but continues sucking for 6 months. The cub differs its mother by its smell and colouring.

Young zebras are next to their mothers for 1 or 2 years. Young male try to remove the head of the family. If he can not succeed he take one or more fameles and run away on long distance to prevent the head of the family to search for the females. Female zebras pair when are 2 years old.

Male zebras beat other males that approach the family. The meeting starts with threat – zebras show their teeth. They strike with their front hoofs and bite the neck of the opponent. The weeker leaves.

Curious facts about zebras
Zebras graze in the company with giraffes and ostriches. The hearing and the sense of smell of zebras and the vision of giraffes form perfect defence system against beasts.

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