Grevy’s Zebra

ANIMAL:
Grevy’s Zebra  Equus grevyi

Type of Animal:
Equine

Habitat:
Semi-arid/arid regions: scrubland, plains, grassland, semi-desert, acacia savanna, shrubland

Location(s):
Ethiopia & northern Kenya w/ introduced population in S. Kenya. Formerly ranged through Ethiopia, N. Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, & Djibouti.

Appearance:
Big head, large, rounded ears, mule-like, tall stature, short mane with no forelock, black with white stripes.

Food/Diet:
Tough grass, leaves, shrubs, browse from trees, fruit, bark

Status in Wild:
Endangered

Conservation:
Breeding in zoos, wildlife parks, & ranches

Lifestyle:
Mares and foals live in loose, open herds of 5-40 zebras, sometimes w/ a stallion. Many mature stallions are solitary. Some stallions found in bachelor herds of 3-12 animals.

Additional Info:

Called:
Male-Stallion
Female-Mare
Young-Foal
Group-Herd

Weight:
Male-950 lbs
Female-847 lbs
Young-130 lbs

Gestation:
About 12-13 months

Height:
4.5-5 ft

Body Length:
6-9 ft

Life Span:
20-30 years

Tail Length:
0.5 ft- 1.5 ft

Main predators are lions, hyenas, leopards, wild dogs, & crocodiles. Cheetahs only prey on foals. Stallions kick at predators & have been known to kick predator’s teeth out.

Stallion territories quite large, up to 4 sq mi.

Grevy’s Zebras endangered due to overgrazing by livestock, competition w/ livestock, habitat loss, & hunting for meat, hide, & medicine.

Grevy’s Zebra Trust established in January 2007 in Kenya to save species.

Work on saving Grevy’s Zebra being done at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya.

Only close bond is between mother and foal.

Unlike other zebras, Grevy’s Zebras bray like an ass.

Fights between stallions ritualized-they approach with ears cocked, press chins on each other, will bite and kick out with front feet (they never kick at each other).

They can run up to 40 mph.

This animal is known as Loiborkurum (“white-rumped”) in Samburu (a local language in N. Kenya).

Stripes serve as camouflage.

Fun Fact(s):
Non-lactating adults can go up to 5 days w/o water, lactating mares & foals need water everyday .

Newborn foals can stand after 6 minutes & run after 40 minutes.

1st zebra species discovered by Europeans.

Named after late French president Jules Grevy.

Largest of all equines.

Wide range of temperaments from friendly to very aggressive. Often a rather unpredictable species.

Each animal has unique stripe pattern, like a human fingerprint.