by Shannon Lin

Created on: July 16, 2009

Zebras are:

(A) that old restaurant (B) the new movie in theaters next week (C) the black and white horse-like animal

And yes, the answer is C. Zebras are best known for their black and white features, and their place on the African plains. Each zebra's pattern is unique to the individual, just like our thumbprints are unique to every person.

Zebras are very social animals that can be found in small groups to large herds. Their bodies are quite similar to horses, but while horses' manes are long and lay over the neck, zebra's manes are short and stiff along the neck. Their tails are more like a donkey's; a tuft of hair at the tip of the tail. Most of the time, the stripes are vertical on the head and body, while the horizontal stripes appear on the rear end and on the legs. These stripes are supposedly for camouflage, as the vertical stripes help the zebras blend in with the grass. A herd of zebras standing together will also make it seem like on large mass of stripes, causing the predator to become confused.

There are three main species of zebras; the Plains Zebra and Grevy's Zebra live together in the east in Kenya, while the threatened Mountains Zebra lives in South West Africa. The Plains Zebra, also known as Burchell's Zebra or Common Zebra, is, as its name suggests, most common, and most numerous. The Mountains Zebra tends to have narrower stripes than the Common Zebra, and the Grevy's Zebra is the largest. It also has a larger head, causing it to have a mule-like appearance, and is the rarest zebra around.

Similar to horses, zebras can walk, trot, canter, and gallop, but they are usually a little slower than the average horse. Running in a zig-zag pattern helps them get away from predators more easily. Zebras also have very good eyesight, and some people even think they can see in color. Unlike horses, zebras' ears are larger and more rounded, but they have excellent hearing. In addition to good eyesight and hearing, Zebras also have an excellent sense of smell and taste.

Zebras, like other equids, are actually very sociable. The Common Zebra and Mountains Zebras stay in groups called harems, while the single males live in groups or by themselves until they're old to get a mate. Grevy's Zebras, however, is less bonding, and a group rarely stays together for more than a few months, unless they are single males, who, like the other zebra species, stay together.

For more information on Zebras: www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/zebra

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