Zebra is found in the steppe. Zebras - no two are alike! Appearance and morphology
Most likely, the word "zebra" has African roots. It was borrowed from the native dialect (the word zebra) by the colonists. Together with an elephant, a giraffe, a lion and a hippopotamus, she is one of the symbols of the rich animal world of the sunny African continent.
After reviewing the information in the article, it will be possible to learn in more detail about where the zebra lives, on which mainland. Here you can also read some interesting facts about the features of the life of this animal.
Description, characteristics
Asking the question of where zebras and hippos live, we immediately imagine the savannah of Africa.
Zebra is a mammal of the order of equines from the genus of horses. Her body is of medium size, reaching more than 2 meters in length. The weight is 350 kg. The average length of the tail grows up to 50 cm. Usually, males are larger than females, and their height at the withers is approximately 1.5 meters. These animals have a stocky and dense physique, short legs ending in rather strong hooves. The short mane is tough. The central row of wool, running down the back from head to tail, looks like a brush. The neck is muscular, while in males it is thicker.
Compared to horses, zebras do not run very fast. But if necessary, their speed can develop up to 80 km / h. When a zebra is chased, it uses a special tactic - running in zigzags. This allows her to become inaccessible to many predators.
This animal sees poorly, but it has a well-developed sense of smell, which allows you to feel the danger at great distances. Zebra sounds are very diverse. They are similar to the barking of a dog, the neighing of a horse, the cries of a donkey, etc. And it all depends on the situation. Under favorable circumstances, under natural conditions, zebras can live up to 30 years, and in captivity they live even up to 40 years.
Where does the zebra live?
Plains zebras live in the savannas of Africa (east). Their range also includes part of the south of the mainland (south of Ethiopia and Sudan). Desert varieties of zebras live in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. Mountain populations are common in South Africa and Namibia at an altitude of mountainous areas up to 2000 meters.
Initially, zebras were distributed almost throughout the mainland, but today their numbers have greatly decreased.
A little about other animals
Where do leopard, puma, deer live? Zebra, where it lives, found out. Savannahs of Africa are the place of life and leopards (except deserts). You can meet them in Front and East Asia (southern parts). It should be noted that there are no leopards where there is no fresh water.
The range of the cougar is South and North America. Its habitats coincide with the distribution areas of its main prey - deer. The main criterion for the area for these animals to live is the availability of enough food and places to hide from enemies.
The zebra, together with the elephant, giraffe, lion and hippopotamus, is one of the symbols of the animal world of the sunny continent. True, he is somewhat harsh and cruel where the zebras live. Lions and many other predators attack newly born cubs. In 50% of cases, they become victims of such animals as lions, crocodiles, hyenas, etc.
About the stripes on the body of a zebra
Many are interested in the answer to the question, what color is a zebra. Until now, there is no single answer about its color. Is the animal black with a white stripe or vice versa? Many scientists are of the opinion that the dominant color is black. It should be noted that the stripes on the skin of this animal make up a unique pattern for each individual.
On the head and neck, the stripes are arranged vertically, while the body has stripes at an angle. On the legs of a zebra, they are horizontal. This feature of the color is a kind of protection of this animal. This is due to the nature of the places where zebras live. In the savannah, the air is hot and trembling. In it, the zebra visually merges with the surrounding nature, disorienting predators. It is also a camouflage against tsetse flies and horseflies. They perceive the zebra as a black and white inedible object.
There is one interesting opinion that the black and white color is able to cool the body of the animal. This is due to the fact that areas of the body heat up in different ways: black ones are stronger, white ones are weaker. And the difference in temperatures contributes to the microcirculation of air currents around the animal, which helps it to live under the constantly scorching sun.
Zebra species
Below are 3 types of zebras.
Nutrition
Zebras feed on various grasses, shrub foliage, tree bark, young shoots, plant roots and buds. Relatively poor in terms of calories, the diet forces them to engage in eating most of the day. Zebras need water at least once a day, while lactating females need it all the time. When lakes and rivers dry up, animals dig holes and wells up to 50 cm deep, which are gradually filled with water.
In especially dry periods, the herd of animals migrates over long distances in search of food on green pastures.
Lifestyle
Where zebras live, family herds are formed under the leadership of an adult stallion. The main part of the herd is females of various ages and their cubs. The head is the oldest mare. Males who have reached the age of 1-3 years form their own herd or live alone.
The female's pregnancy lasts approximately 370 days. A stallion guards a mare during the birth of a cub. Usually there is one foal in a litter (weight up to 30 kg), and very rarely twins are born. The baby gets up about 15 minutes after birth and almost immediately takes the first steps.
Milk from a zebra is an unusual pink color. It is intended for newborns. Despite good care, almost half of the foals die in infancy due to attacks by hyenas and lions.
- Zebras have a vicious and wild disposition. A driven individual can bite and kick, so it is problematic to tame it. At the same time, she is shy and even in the zoo she runs deep into the enclosure when a person approaches.
- Zebras like to wallow in the dust for a long time and often. In this way they get rid of annoying insects.
- Studies have proven that zebras have color vision.
- During the period of seasonal migrations, these animals, together with wildebeests, often gather in a single herd of more than one and a half million individuals.
- Zebra cubs recognize their mother by the unique stripes on their skin.
The zebra is a herbivore that mainly feeds on various types of grasses, but can also eat bark and shrubs. Zebras prefer short, green grass that grows close to the ground.
There is some variation in the diet of different zebra species. The desert zebra feeds on very coarse grass, which many other animals from the equine family are not able to digest at all. Also, this species eats fibrous grasses with a tough texture, such as Eleusis. Since desert zebras live in dry areas, they often eat foliage and bark when conditions are unfavorable for grass growth.
The mountain zebra's diet consists mostly of herbs. They love grass Themeda triandra, but other species are also eaten. Some zebras can eat fruit, shoots, buds, corn stalks, and plant roots. Zebras need to drink water every day.
Due to their dietary habits, zebras mostly live in or near grasslands. They spend most of the day grazing. Zebra numbers tend to decrease in areas where people are turning grasslands into agricultural land.
Zebra (Equus sp.)
Zebras are a type of wild horse. All zebras have the same type of coloring - black and white stripes, but they depend on the place of residence: in the northern zebras they are black and long, in the southern ones they are brown and short.
For a long time, biologists could not understand why zebras need stripes. Until recently, there was an assumption that this was a disguise. In the flowing air of the African savanna, zebras merge with the landscape and become invisible to predators, especially lions. Then, nevertheless, everyone came to the conclusion that the stripes are not a disguise from predators, but from tsetse flies. These small winged monsters carry a deadly disease in animals, accompanied by fever and loss of strength. Thanks to their stripes, zebras become less visible to these terrible flies and avoid their bites.
Zebras are odd-toed ungulates because their body weight falls mainly on one third toe. Zebra's toes are protected by strong hooves.
The height at the withers of an adult zebra can reach from 1.2 to 1.4 m. Weight from 175 to 450 kg, tail length is more than 50 cm. Each zebra has its own unique pattern on the skin, so any of them can be recognized even among hundreds of others. The skin of a zebra is very smooth, which makes the stripes appear painted. The zebra's mane is stiff and short, and is not at all like a horse, although these animals belong to the same family. Zebras are very curious, and this weakness often puts them in danger.
In the spring, after 12 months of pregnancy, a female zebra gives birth to one foal. Within 1 hour after birth, he begins to walk. For the first few weeks, the foal feeds only on mother's milk. For the entire first year of life, cubs are not only under the supervision of their mother, but also under the protection of a dominant male. The baby grows quickly, already at 2 years old he leaves his mother and begins to live in a herd.
Best of all, zebras have a developed sense of smell, which allows them to smell danger in advance. But due to rather weak eyesight, they cannot notice predators in time.
Zebras live in herds. Under the leadership of one male there are 5-6 mares and their foals. The male fiercely guards his herd. The herd has 50-60 individuals, and sometimes hundreds. Zebras recognize their relatives and neighbors from other families by their voice, smell, and stripe pattern. Black and white stripes play the role of a kind of "bar code" - a kind of identity card. In addition, such a camouflage coloration makes the animal invisible in the savannah, confusing predators.
Zebra is a glutton, she eats a huge amount of grass, leaves and bark. To "wash down" this dry food, the animal needs to get at least 8-10 liters of water per day. During a drought, this is not easy to do, especially since a predator can wait near a dried-up reservoir. In case of danger, the male sire does not hesitate to stand up for the endangered foal. At the same time, the head of the family kicks and kicks so that the predator can retreat.
Very often, a herd of zebras merges with herds of other animals, such as ostriches or wildebeests. This can be explained by the fact that animals, holding together, feel more secure. For example, zebras and antelopes have an excellent sense of smell, while ostriches have good eyesight and long necks. Therefore, with an impending danger, these animals have more chances to detect the enemy in a timely manner and stay alive. Zebras sometimes live up to 28 years.
The most terrible enemy of zebras is the lion, which hunts them because of the delicious meat. But in order to catch up with a zebra, which runs at a speed of 60-65 km / h, the lion has to spend all his strength. The caught victim tries to defend himself by kicking the enemy with both front and hind hooves.
Strong legs with strong hooves, characteristic of horses, allow zebras to walk hundreds of kilometers in search of fresh pastures and develop a speed of 60 km / h over a short distance. Their hooves are also powerful weapons in battles with predators and rivals.
Zebras are wild and vicious, they mercilessly bite and kick enemies. How many do not tame them, and ride a striped horse is very difficult.
Scientists have come to the conclusion that all modern horses in the past were zebras, but in the process of evolution they lost their black and white stripes.
Savanna zebra with a cub |
Savannah, or Burchellova, zebra (Equus burchelli)
| Value | Body length up to 2.45 m, tail - 50 cm; height at the withers reaches 1.4 m; weight up to 355 kg (stallion) and 335 kg (mare) |
| signs | Sounds like a horse; the coat is whitish with black stripes; lighter "shadow stripes" are often visible between the black stripes; a short mane stretches from forehead to withers |
| Nutrition | Grass, sometimes leaves and bark; during the day, certain time is set aside for pasture, watering and rest |
| reproduction | Pregnancy for about 1 year; mares foal at different times, depending on the region (in East Africa from October to March); 1 foal that can run almost immediately after birth |
| habitats | Steppes and savannas with rare trees; East and South Africa |
Zebra: interesting facts, photos and a brief description for writing a report or presentation for children in grades 2-3-4.
Habitat
Zebras live in the desert. The natural environment for them is the dry savannas of East Africa, Somalia, Kenya. They are also found in the highlands and lowlands of Ethiopia.
In the recent past, the zebra population was completely exterminated in the territories of North Africa. Initially, zebras lived in the vastness of the entire African continent.
Appearance
Outwardly, the zebra strongly resembles a horse, but differs in a specific color. Black and white stripes cover the body of the animal from tail to head, partially capturing the legs. Such a pattern is a zebra's disguise, which helps it hide from predators.
The weight of a zebra reaches 450 kilograms. Body length ranges from 2 to 2.4 meters. Tail length 45-58 centimeters.
Reproduction and lifespan
The gestation period for a zebra lasts from 345 to 390 days. One foal is always born. Immediately after birth, the baby is in danger, but his instincts make him stand on his legs after the first 10-15 minutes of life.
The foal will be with its mother for the first 8 to 13 months as it needs to be fed and protected. At the age of 3, a young zebra is ready to live on its own, and is no longer attached to its mother.
Behavior and nutrition
The zebra's diet consists mainly of herbaceous plants. Zebras live in herds, as this increases the chances of survival. The herd is a well-coordinated mechanism, in which there is always a leader and an experienced mare, who is responsible for watering and other routine matters.
The leader is quite passive in the performance of his duties. Therefore, in fact, the herd obeys the mare. When the herd gathers somewhere, the mare always goes first, followed by the rest of the zebras. The leader closes this column, monitoring the safety of the entire herd.
A zebra is a type of horse with a pronounced black and white striped coloration. Scientists believe that the main color of the zebra is black, and the white stripes are caused by a lack of pigmentation in certain areas of its body. According to scientific assumptions, the species of striped zebras appeared in the animal world of Africa about 2 million years ago. Why the zebra became striped - disputes on this subject have not subsided so far.
Zebra belongs to non-hoofed mammals, it is herbivorous and does not live on any of the continents except Africa. Once upon a time, zebras inhabited all of Africa, but as a result of extermination, their habitat was reduced to savannahs and deserts in eastern and southern Africa, in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Namibia, and Sudan. On the high plateaus in South Africa and Namibia, mountain zebras are common, living at an altitude of about 2 thousand meters above sea level.
Why are zebras striped?
Zebra stripes are as unique as a human fingerprint. It is by the pattern of the stripes that the foal distinguishes its mother among the herd, which usually consists of one stallion and a group of females with cubs.
4 hypotheses have been put forward in response to the question why the zebra is striped:
- Zebras need stripes for camouflage. It is difficult for predators to recognize the outlines of the animal due to the flickering of black and white stripes.
- The black and white coloration of zebras serves to distinguish its subspecies from the rest of the ungulates of the animal world of Africa, serving as a kind of "social factor".
- The zebra acquired its black and white coloration to protect itself from blood-sucking insects and, as a result, from the diseases they carry. Horseflies and tsetse fly do not attack zebras, as they react to the polarization of light, and the fundamental difference in the reflection of rays in black and white on the skin of a zebra leads to disorientation of insects. Compared to other African animals, zebras have shorter hair and sensitive skin, which could be the reason for their development of such an evolutionary reaction to an irritating factor.
- According to the latest scientific findings from a team of biologists at the University of California, the number and intensity of zebra stripes is related to ambient temperature. Scientists believe that the stripes serve as the animal's temperature regulator.
American scientists studied several populations of the Savannah zebra, which has the greatest variability in stripe width, in 16 regions of Africa (Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa) and took into account more than 20 environmental factors. And this is what the researchers came to the conclusion: the hotter the climate, the brighter and larger the black stripes of the zebra. In regions of Africa with cold winters (Namibia, South Africa), zebras have fewer stripes, while they are narrower and less contrasting, and legs and belly can be completely light - without stripes.
Species of African zebras
Desert zebra or Grevy's zebra, interesting facts:
- The zebra got its name in honor of the French President Jules Grevy, who at the end of the 19th century the government of Abyssinia presented the animal as a gift.
- Grevy's zebra is the largest animal among the horse family in the animal kingdom of Africa. The mass of an adult Grevy's zebra is about half a ton with an increase of about 1.5 m and a body length of 3 m.
- The stripes of the Grevy's zebra are thinner and closer to one another than in other zebra species.
- The desert zebra has very long ears, an elongated skull and massive hooves, like a horse.
- Grevy's zebra lives in the semi-deserts of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, mainly in national parks, as it belongs to an endangered species.
- A zebra foal is born solid: brown or black, and becomes striped at about six months.
- Zebras graze almost 15 hours a day due to low-calorie food: grass, as well as buds, bark, rhizomes and leaves of trees, which they eat in large quantities.
- During the dry season, desert zebras are able to dig a half-meter-deep hole in the ground and drink from there the water that seeps through the sand.
Savannah zebra or Burchell's zebra, description of the animal:
- The zebra is named after the British naturalist William Burchell.
- Body length from 2 to 2.5 m, height up to 1.5 m, weight 300-400 kg. Burchell's zebra is distinguished by its stocky and squat physique - it has a massive body on short legs.
- Habitat - savannas and steppes of southeast Africa.
- The black stripes of the savannah zebra are broader and sparser than those of the Grevy's zebra.
- The Burchell's zebra feeds on grasses and cereals, to a lesser extent - on the leaves and buds of shrubs.
- Burchell's zebra is one of the most numerous and widespread ungulates in Africa.
- The life expectancy of a zebra in the wild is about 30 years, while in captivity they can live up to 50.
Quagga is a subspecies of the Burchell zebra, completely exterminated by humans in the 19th century. The stripes of the quagga were located only on the head and the front of the body, behind the animal had a monochromatic bay color. In the 80s, a project was launched to restore the quagga subspecies, which was crowned with success in 2005: a stallion was raised, like two drops of water similar to a real quagga.
