Evolution:- The name “zebra” comes from the Portuguese word zevra which means “wild ass”. Zebras were the 2nd lineage to deviate from the earliest proto-horses, after the asses, around 4 million years ago. Grevy’s zebra is believed to have been the first zebra species to emerge. The ancestors of the Equus horses had stripes, and zebras have retained the stripes of their ancestors. Fossils of an ancient Zebra show that it was similar to the Grevy’s zebra. The animals had stocky zebra-like bodies and short, narrow, donkey-like skulls. Grevy’s zebra also has a donkey-like skull. The Hagerman horse is also called the American zebra or Hagerman zebra.

Classification:-  There are 3 species of Zebras- The plains zebra, The mountain zebra and Grevy’s zebra. The plains zebra is the most common, and has about 12 subspecies distributed across much of southern and eastern Africa. The mountain zebra is a zebra having sleek coat with a white belly and narrower stripes than the plains Zebra. It is found in southwest Africa and it has two subspecies. Grevy’s zebra is the largest zebra, with a long, narrow head, making it appear rather mule-like. It inhabits in the semiarid grasslands of Ethiopia and northern Kenya. Although zebra species may have overlapping ranges, they do not interbreed.

Physical Features:- Zebras are found in a variety of habitats, such as grasslands, savannas, woodlands, thorny scrublands, mountains and coastal hills. It was previously believed that zebras were white animals with black stripes. But embryological evidence shows that the animal’s background color is black and the white stripes and bellies are additions. The stripes are typically vertical on the head, neck, forequarters, and main body, with horizontal stripes at the rear and on the legs of the animal. It has been said that the stripes serve as visual cues and identification. With each striping pattern unique to each individual, zebras can recognize one another by their stripes.

Zebras are generally slower than horses, but like horses, zebras walk, trot, canter and gallop. When chased, a zebra will zig-zag from side to side and when cornered, the zebra rears up and kick or bite its attacker. Zebras have excellent eyesight. It is believed that they have night vision. Zebras have also excellent hearing and they can turn their ears in almost any direction. In addition to eyesight and hearing, zebras have an acute sense of smell and taste.

Ecology:- Like most members of the horse family, zebras are highly social. Mountain zebras and plains zebras live in groups, consisting of one stallion (male zebra) with up to six mares (female zebra) and their foals (baby zebras). Bachelor males either live alone or with groups of other bachelors. When attacked by wild animals a zebra group huddles together with the foals in the middle while the stallion tries to ward them off. Grevy’s zebras do not have permanent social bonds. The foals stay with their mothers, while adult males live alone.

Like horses, zebras sleep in standing. Zebras communicate with each other with high pitched barks and whinnying. Grevy’s zebras make mule-like brays. A zebra’s ears signify its mood. When a zebra is in calm, tense or friendly mood, its ears stand erect. When it is frightened, its ears are pushed forward. When angry, the ears are pulled backward. When tense they will also snort. When a killer is spotted or sensed, the zebras bark (or bray) loudly.

Food:- Zebras are grazers and feed mainly on grasses. But they also eat shrubs, herbs, twigs, leaves and bark. Their well-adapted digestive systems allow them to subsist on diets of lower nutritional quality than that necessary for other herbivores.

Reproduction:- Female zebras mature earlier than the males. A mare gives birth to her first foal by the age of three. But males breed at the age of five or six. Mares may give birth to one foal every year. She nurses the foal for up to a year. The foals stand, walk and suckle shortly after they are born. A zebra foal is brown and white instead of black and white at birth. Plains and mountain zebra foals are protected by their mothers, as well as the head stallion and the other mares in their group. Grevy’s zebra foals have only their mother as a regular protector.

Conservation:- The population of zebras is reducing due to hunting. Zebras are hunted mainly for their skins. The mountain zebras are currently protected in national parks. The Grevy’s zebra is also endangered. Plains zebras are much more numerous and have a healthy population.