How many zebras are in africa

Bonus zebra: Quaqqa Equus quagga The quagga was a plains zebra that lived in South Africa until extinction in the late 19th century. Its unique colouring of a striped head and neck fading into a solid coat towards its rump made it look something like a cross between a zebra and a horse. All three species are found in Eastern and Southern Africa in a variety of savannahs, shrublands, woodlands, grasslands, and mountainous regions. Meanwhile, the mountain zebra, as indicated by its name, prefers mountainous areas, with their habitat, found mostly in Southern and South-Eastern Africa.

Zebras are what is known as hindgut fermenters, which means that they can extract nutrition out of low-quality feed such as grass and bark. Plains zebras play a particularly interesting role in the ecosystem, as they are pioneer gazers, nibbling and feeding on the top-most layer of grass, thereby opening up the grassland for more specialised grazers looking for the short grasses tucked below.

Zebras move around in herds made up of one stallion, many mares and their offspring. A herd of zebra can often be seen moving in what looks like single file, with the highest-ranking mare at the front, followed by her offspring, down the hierarchy, and ending in the family stallion bringing up the rear. Bachelor plains and mountain zebras will form herds of free-roaming males, sometimes joined by young females as in the case of mountain zebras. Mares give birth to one foal at a time.

When foals are born, they quickly struggle to their feet and are able to run within the first hour of their life. Zebras drinking at a waterhole make fantastic photo opportunities. Where did you last have the chance to observe these creatures on an African Safari? Let us know in the comments below! Science on the Farm. Native to over.

African countries. Challenges Habitat loss and competition with livestock threaten plains zebras. Hunting for plains zebras persists.

Solutions Our solutions to protecting the plains zebra:. Protected Area. Set aside safe space for wildlife. Promote sustainable livestock management. Behaviors Zebras travel regularly.

They have harems. Zebras communicate. Diet The zebra is not a picky eater. Both subspecies prefer rough, elevated terrain, although the Hartmann's variant dwells in more arid habitats. While plains zebras enjoy the security of a larger population and wider distribution than the other species, all wild zebras face the inevitable threat of habitat loss.

As human civilization develops and expands across Africa, populations are forced to scatter and migrate to less favorable locations. Some ecologists cite the influx of cattle ranchers as a leading cause of zebra decline, as they compete with wildlife for limited water supplies. Hunters pursue zebras for their pelts. Fragmentation of zebra populations contributes to poor genetic diversity, which further hinders the animals' ability to adapt to changing environments.

He spent more tan 10 years nursing kittens, treating sick animals and domesticating semi-feral cats for a local animal shelter.

He graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelor's degree in journalism. Plains zebras are 3. Though they all live in Africa, each species of zebra has its own home area. Plains zebras live in the treeless grasslands and woodlands of eastern and southern Africa. The Grevy's zebra lives in in the arid grasslands of Ethiopia and northern Kenya. The mountain zebra is found in South Africa, Namibia and Angola. Plains zebras and mountain zebras live in family groups led by a stallion, with several mares and offspring.

Family groups known as harems sometimes get together to form loosely associated herds, according to the San Diego Zoo. However, Grevy's zebras don't have herds. Instead, stallions establish territories and mares cross into them to breed and give birth. Once the foals are old enough to travel, they and their mothers move on. Zebras have several ways they communicate with one another. Facial expressions, such as wide-open eyes or bared teeth, all mean something.

They also bark, bray, snort or huff to get their point across. Even the position of their ears can signal their feelings, according to the San Diego Zoo. For example, ears flattened back means trouble.