The Zebra

The Skinny on Stripes

      What is the first thing you notice when you see a zebra? Its stripes! As unique as our fingerprints, zebra stripes can be used to identify individual zebras because each has its own stripe pattern. (And if you were wondering, zebras are white with black stripes-not the other way around). It might be hard to imagine, but zebra stripes actually help protect the animals from hungry predators. When zebras stand still in grass and low shrubs, their stripes blend in with the background, making the animals appear almost invisible. Plus, when a herd of zebras are running away from a lion or leopard, the blur of fast-moving stripes makes it hard for the cat to distinguish between animals and find one to chase.

      There are three species of zebra, and Grevy's zebras are the largest. They were named in honor of Jules Grevy, president of France's Third Republic, because the first known specimen of the animal was sent to him in 1882. Living in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia, Grevy's zebras can grow up to nine feet long and weigh up to 990 pounds. With a big head, large and rounded ears, and a thick, erect mane, Grevy's zebras appear more mule-like than other zebras. Also, Grevy's zebras' stripes are very narrow, and they continue all the way down the legs to the hooves.

      Zebras spend nearly two-thirds of their day eating (mostly grass but sometimes bark and leaves too). Adult zebras can go up to five days without water and will walk up to nine miles in a single day to find a water source. Unlike other members of the horse family, Grevy's zebras don't form permanent herds. The only strong social bond is the one between a mother and her foal. Otherwise, Grevy's zebras form loose social groups that vary every-day.

Contents are courtesy of the Chicago Zoological Society, which operates Brookfield Zoo.