How do zebras get their stripes? What do zebras rely on to survive?

With the development of people's living standards and technology, people's travel is becoming more and more colorful, and domestic and outbound travel are very popular. If your dream is to go to Africa, you must go to see the zebras on the African savannah. Here is a brief introduction to the characteristics of zebras, including their lifestyle, and learn more about zebras!

Contents of this article

1. How do zebras get their stripes?

2. What do zebras rely on for survival?

3. What are the characteristics of zebras?

How do zebras get their stripes?

The stripes of zebras are fixed in the embryo. The stripes and spacing on the zebra are formed in the early pregnancy of the female. The stripes on the zebra are beautiful and elegant. They are one of the main marks for mutual recognition among the same species. More importantly, they form protective colors to adapt to the environment and serve as an important means of defense to ensure its survival.

zebra:

Zebra is the common name for three existing species of mammals in the genus Equus of the family Equidae in the order Perissodactyla. It is named for the stripes on its body that serve as a shield. No animal has a more distinctive coat than the zebra. The stripes on a zebra's body are like human fingerprints - no two are exactly alike. Zebras are native to Africa. Plains zebras are found in eastern, central and southern Africa, with stripes from the legs to the hooves or no stripes on the legs. There is also a type of plains zebra in East Africa, which is the largest, with long (about 20 cm) and wide ears, and narrow and dense stripes all over the body, so it is also called the Grevy's zebra. The mountain zebra is found in southern Africa, and unlike the other two types of zebras, it has a large, long ear like a donkey. Except for the abdomen, the body is densely covered with wide black stripes, and the male has dewlaps on the throat.

What do zebras live on?

Zebras are highly social animals and live in groups. They forage together (mainly grass) and even groom each other's fur. Zebras live in groups, and even old individuals will not be expelled from the group and live alone. But the group is usually not large, with a maximum of about 10 individuals, mostly composed of females and male and female cubs that have not reached sexual maturity. The group is very compact and not loose. The cubs like to play and fight together, or play with the females. Adult males usually live alone, occupying a territory of about 10 square kilometers, using their excrement as a mark of the territory boundary. Only in the rainy season, when they wait for the female to come to them, will they live together as a couple, and then the female will return to the group.

How zebras reproduce:

Zebras are highly social animals. Different species have different social structures. Plains and mountain zebras have a "family" structure, each of which also consists of a male zebra, up to six female zebras and their offspring. Some unmarried male zebras live alone or with other males until they are strong enough to challenge a "family" male. When a herd is attacked by coyotes or wild dogs, the adults will form a circle and put the young zebras in the circle, and the leader will protect his wife and children. Grevy's zebras are different from other zebras in that they do not have fixed social relationships. Grevy's zebras rarely live together for long periods of time. Adult male zebras live alone, while young zebras live with their mothers. Like plains and mountain zebras, unmarried male zebras live with other males, but the relationship is not fixed.

What are the characteristics of zebras

Zebras are divided into plains zebras, mountain zebras, and Grevy's zebras. Each species has its own unique characteristics, as detailed below:

The plains zebra is 200-240 cm long, 120-140 cm high at the shoulder, 47-57 cm long at the tail, and weighs about 350 kg. Except for the abdomen, the whole body is covered with wide black stripes for protection. Males have dewlaps on their throats.

The mountain zebra is only 120 cm tall at the shoulder. It is the smallest species of zebra and the first zebra to be scientifically described and named. It has narrow ears, very short mane, brown-yellow muzzle, and few coarse stripes on its body.

Grevy's zebra is the largest wild horse in existence, with a shoulder height of 145-155 cm. It is distributed from Somalia, southern Ethiopia to northern Kenya. Its most recognizable feature is that its stripes are finer and denser than those of other zebras.