Common Zebra
It is characterized by its black and white stripes
This is an Equidae, a fine animal of the horse family, living only in Africa and characterized by its black and white stripes.
There are several species of zebra, which differ by their number of stripes.
The Common Zebra has approximately 25 of them and lives, in large herds, on the plains of East Africa, accompanied by giraffes, antelopes and ostriches.
At first sight, these stripes are a handicap because the animal can be seen from far and wide.
But the fact of living in herds, mingled with other animals, improves the general vigilance. Moreover, when the zebras start to flee by galloping all together, their moving stripes blur their silhouette and disturb the predator by an optical illusion…
Those stripes would also protect them from being bitten by tsetse flies, which would prefer, it is thought, uniform coats.
Zebras can also defend themselves by powerful kicks which can break the jaw of a lioness.
Common Zebras
In our “Jardin des Mondes”, you can discover the Common Zebras in the African savanna.
A less threatened species
- Name: Common Zebra
- Latin name: Equus quagga
- Origin: East Africa
- IUCN status: Near threatened
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