21 Interesting Facts About Zebras

These magnificent odd-toed ungulates, often compared to the ups and downs of life due to their stripes, are not only known for their striking appearance but also for their well-developed intellectual abilities. Zebras resemble playful horses, but in their nature, they are wild animals, suffering in captivity and preferring to live freely under the open sky.

As residents of African savannas, zebras must constantly fight for survival and migrate in search of food and water. Their main defense against predators is unity. Zebras form families, and these families group into herds, moving from one pasture to another. Predators rarely attack large herds, instead targeting individuals who have become separated, as this ensures an easier catch. Zebras in a herd run close together, preventing lions or tigers from getting too close. In fact, a tightly-knit group of zebras can trample a predator.

Due to constant migration and tough living conditions, zebras have adapted to temperature fluctuations, and can survive long periods without food or water. Their resilience and endurance are impressive. In the harsh conditions of wild Africa, zebras survive thanks to their strong bodies and intelligence.

Interesting Facts About Zebras:

1. The gestation period for a female zebra lasts exactly a year. The birthing process takes about 30 minutes, after which the newborn immediately tries to stand, though it gains strength after about 20 minutes. Observations show that within 40 minutes, the foal is able to jump.
2. Zebra milk is pink in color. Zebra foals nurse for about a year, but by their first week, they begin nibbling on grass.
3. Zebras often crossbreed with horses or donkeys. Their offspring are called zebroids. In Africa, zebroids are highly valued because of their genetic resistance to the dangerous tsetse fly.
4. There are only three species of zebras in the world. Though they look alike, they are genetically distinct.
5. Quaggas, a subspecies of zebra, became extinct at the end of the 19th century. Today, scientists are working on reviving quaggas through biological research.
6. There are mountain zebras that prefer high-altitude grazing on mountain peaks, up to 2 kilometers above sea level.
7. Zebras live only in Africa; they are not found anywhere else.
8. Zebras live in family units that include a father, mother, and offspring.
9. The leader of a zebra family is always a male. He protects his family, directs them during migration, chooses the sleeping spot, and guards the pregnant female and newborn.
10. Some male zebras have harems of females that do not have their own families. In a harem, there is a dominant female, and during migration, she leads, with the others following.
11. The stripes on a zebra’s coat have a unique pattern, similar to DNA or human fingerprints. These stripes can be black or brown. Some hypothesize that all horses were once zebras, but evolution changed their appearance, causing the stripes to disappear.
12. Zebras sleep standing up, for a maximum of three hours per night, to protect themselves from predators. While some sleep, one stands guard, and they take turns.
13. Only newborn zebras can be trained. Their wild parents are too attached to freedom to live in captivity.
14. A female zebra leaves her family when it’s time to give birth. She stays separate for about three days until her newborn recognizes her voice, scent, and appearance. Then she introduces the foal to the family.
15. Scientists believe that zebra stripes help confuse predators. When zebras run, their stripes create a blurring effect, disorienting predators and preventing capture.
16. Male zebras have large, sharp teeth, which they use to fight off predators.
17. Horseflies avoid zebras, likely because they cannot focus on the stripes.
18. Zebras have excellent memory and vision. They can recognize family members from a distance based on their stripes.
19. Zebras have a unique stomach structure, allowing them to eat not only grass but also tough, less nutritious foods.
20. Zebras are very clean animals. They frequently roll in mud, which hardens and falls off with dead skin due to the heat.
21. Zebras are capable of experiencing emotions. For example, they rest their heads on another zebra’s back or shoulder to express love and affection.

These extraordinary animals survive in Africa thanks to their unity and toughness. Their lives, in many ways, resemble human lives, though much shorter. Zebras live around 20-30 years, but in captivity, they can live up to 40. Unfortunately, about 50% of zebra foals do not survive due to the harsh struggle for survival, where the weak often lose.