They are extinct in Burundi, Lesotho and possibly Somalia. They are more active during the day and spend most of their time feeding. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: extinct. To escape from predators, an adult zebra can run at 60–70 km/h (37–43 mph). [6] When a mare reaches sexual maturity and has her first oestrous cycle, she attracts the attention of nearby stallions, both bachelors and harem leaders.

New York, The female membership of a harem stays intact even if a new stallion takes over. [5] and zebras appear to be a monophyletic lineage. The plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchellii), also known as the common zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. (Credit: Brenda Larison).

Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. Zebras may benefit from this extra cooling system because, unlike other plains animals (such as the impala in the background of this picture), zebras digest their food very inefficiently and therefore may need to spend longer periods of time eating in the midday heat, study co-author Brenda Larison told Live Science. [23] When the mare finally ovulates, the male that impregnates her keeps her for good. As the researchers from UCLA traveled further south in the plains zebra's range, they found that stripes were fainter and thinner — possibly because these regions are cooler than the regions in which zebras have thicker stripes. Fillies began ovulating and advertising estrus by adopting a distinctive posture between one and two years of age. Mothers and foals groom the most often, followed by siblings. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Flies struggle to recognize striped surfaces, though researchers don't understand exactly why this is. Zebras are preyed upon by lions and spotted hyenas and to a lesser extent crocodiles, cheetahs, and African wild dogs. Habitat and Range This picture was taken in Namibia. Thus, the mare becomes a permanent member of a new harem. (Planet Wildlife, 1993), Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry.

[15], Like all zebras, they are boldly striped in black and white, and no two individuals look exactly alike. [6], The stallion mates with all his mares. Northern zebra populations have narrower and more defined striping; southern populations have varied but lesser amounts of striping on the under parts, the legs and the hindquarters. [6][12][14], Depending on the population, zebra herds may be sedentary, being highly dense with small ranges, or migratory, being less populated with separate, extensive dry and wet home ranges. LittleJerry 22:17, 23 June 2020 (UTC) Do Plains zebras have a … Researchers at UCLA found that zebras within this northern region tend to have thicker, more defined stripes than zebras further south. Her family stallion (likely her father) chases off or fights stallions attempting to abduct her. These zebras averaged 53 inches in height and weighed between 500 and 700 pounds. As hindgut fermenters, they require large quantities of food and may spend up to 20 hours per day foraging. It ranges more widely than many other species, even into woodlands, and it is often the first grazing species to appear in a well-vegetated area. Don't just waste time, learn something too! By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. [15] Another study from 2015 determined that environment temperature is a strong predictor for zebra striping patterns and proposed that the stripes may be related to thermoregulation. [17], The purpose of the bold black-and-white striping of zebras has been a subject of debate among biologists for over a century. [18] A 2014 study also supports the theory that they are a form of protection from biting flies and compared to other wild equines, zebras live in areas with the highest fly activity.

They need to drink daily so they are never more than around half a day's travel (5 to 10 km) from a reliable water source. Thank you for signing up to Live Science.

[20], Plains zebras primarily feed on grass; preferred species being Themeda triandra, Cynodon dactylon, Eragrostis superba and Cenchrus ciliaris. [14][11][12], A newborn is capable of standing almost immediately and starts to eat grass within a week. [2] The plains zebra and mountain zebra were traditionally placed in the subgenus Hippotigris in contrast to the Grévy's zebra which was considered the sole species of subgenus Dolichohippus. It is rare that the mare's original abductor keeps her for long. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. However, recent genetic analyses of both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA indicates that the genetic variation among extinct and extant Plains Zebras is no greater than that seen among modern breeds of the Domestic Horse (E. caballus).

[6], The plains zebra is highly social and usually forms small family groups called harems, which consist of a single stallion, several mares, and their recent offspring. However, only indigestible residues are fermented in the cecum, so that hindgut fermenters do not experience the inevitable energy loss that occurs when dietary carbohydrates are fermented in the rumen. TIL I must have been a zebra in a past life. [32] The last captive quagga, a female in Amsterdam's Natura Artis Magistra zoo, lived there from 9 May 1867 until it died on 12 August 1883, but its origin and cause of death are unclear.

[3] However, recent (2013) phylogenetic evidence finds that plains zebras are more closely related to Grévy's zebras than mountain zebras. Six subspecies have been recognised including the extinct quagga which was thought to be a separate species. Quaggas were often the first of the grazers to enter tall grass vegetation or possibly wet pastures.

Thus, the stallion must shield the new mares until the aggression subsides.

Females give birth to a single offspring after a 12 month gestation period. The quagga was probably vulnerable to extinction due to its limited distribution, and it may have competed with domestic livestock for forage.

For as brutal as it was, it was pretty entertaining. The San people associated zebra stripes with water, rain and lighting due to its dazzling pattern. [16] They generally prefer Acacieae woodlands over Commiphora. The plains zebra was formally classified by British zoologist John Edward Gray in 1824 as Equus burchellii. How the zebra got its stripes has been the subject of folk tales, some of which involve it being scorched by fire. Thus, the Plains Zebra and the extinct Quagga are now treated as belonging to a single species, E. quagga.

[22] Bachelor groups tend to be at the periphery of herds and when the herd moves, the bachelors trail behind. Though foals may be born in any month, there was a definite annual birth/mating peak early in December to January, which corresponds to the rain season in East Africa.

[5], A 2005 genetic study confirmed the quagga being the same species as the plains zebra. Most fighting occurs over young mares in oestrus, and as long as a harem stallion is healthy, he usually is not challenged.

Members of a harem nip and scrape along the neck, withers, and back with their teeth and lips.

Foals begin feeding on grass at a month, but continue to nurse for another 5 months. [1] Civil wars in some countries have also caused declines in zebra populations. The black and white stripes heat at different rates, forming micro spirals of air that behave as small breezes across the zebra's body. [26] The species name quagga is derived from the Khoikhoi word for "zebra" and is onomatopoeic for its call.

[11][6][28][14], In 2016, the plains zebra was classified as near threatened by the IUCN. Some stable populations live in unprotected areas.

The plains zebra is intermediate in size between the larger Grévy's zebra and the smaller mountain zebra; and tends to have broader stripes than both. [27] When a predator is sighted, a zebra makes a two-syllable alarm call. Careful study of the original zebra populations in Zululand and Swaziland, and of skins harvested on game farms in Zululand and Natal, has revealed that a certain small proportion shows similarity to what now is regarded as typical burchellii. [12], Mares exist in a hierarchy, with the alpha female being the first to mate with the stallion and being the one to lead the group. In the Shona language, the name "madhuve" means "woman/women of the zebra totem" and is a given name for girls in Zimbabwe.

In 2002, there were an estimated 660,000 Plains Zebras. The gestation period lasts around a year, and a single young is produced. As of that year, the total population is estimated to be around 500,000 individuals. This picture of a zebra was taken in Kenya.

Some studies have suggested that stripes help zebras control their body heat, escape from predators or avoid bites from disease-carrying flies. Some scientists think a more plausible purpose of zebra stripes is that they help the animals avoid disease-carrying flies. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, Females give birth to a single offspring after a 12 month gestation period. As of 2016, the plains zebra is classified as near threatened by IUCN. The last wild Quagga in South Africa was probably killed by hunters few years before that, perhaps in 1878. What happens if a president loses an election but won't leave the White House? Zebra fights often become very violent, with the animals biting at each other's necks, heads, or legs, wrestling to the ground, and occasional kicking.

The plains zebra remains common in game reserves, but is threatened by human activities such as hunting for its meat and hide, as well as competition with livestock and encroachment by farming on much of its habitat.

Though the South African Red Data Book refers to the Quagga as an extinct species, recent evidence has confirmed that it was actually a subspecies of the Burchell's Zebra. whoah... first time I"ve seen one of my photos show up on Reddit. Its range is fragmented, but spans much of southern and eastern Africa south of the Sahara.

They have been depicted in rock art in Southern Africa (modern Botswana, Namibia and South Africa) dating from 20,000–28,000 years ago, though not as commonly as antelope species like eland. Zebra researchers generally agree that stripes likely serve multiple purposes. More than 75% of these are Grant's Zebras (E. q. boehmi), including around 200,000 in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. The species population is stable and not endangered, though populations in most countries have declined sharply. At the moment of birth, a mother zebra keeps any other zebra away from her foal, including the stallion, the other mares, and even the previous offspring. The zebras in this photo live in Namibia.

Not sure what started it but my friends and I sat there for a good 15-20 minutes watching these two repeatedly bite and kick the crap out of each other. The stripes are vertical on the fore part of the body, and tend towards the horizontal on the hindquarters. I now have this almost overwhelming urge to go to the zoo and scare a fart out of a zebra. A mare gives birth within the vicinity of her group and while laying down on her side. The type localities of the subspecies Equus quagga burchellii and Equus quagga antiquorum are so close to each other that the two are in fact one, and that, therefore, the older of the two names should take precedence over the younger.

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