Where the zebra lives: striped facts

In riddles, this animal is called a "horse in a sailor." The answer is known even by the youngest children, who at least once visited the zoo where the zebra dwells. She looks pretty friendly, but do not try to pat her: her temper is rather wild, and her teeth are strong. Obviously, the zoo is not the natural habitat of this interesting animal. How and where does the zebra live? What does she eat? What is different about features? Read the answers to these and other questions.

Sunny Tigrokon

Once the historian Cassius Dion in his famous "Roman history" mentioned the following: Septimus Severus, at that time the Emperor of Rome, ordered to catch for the circus some sunny horses, which are covered with stripes, like tigers. The annals of history also state that later the son of Septimius slaughtered one of the horses during the battles in the arena. An unknown animal was called a "hippotigra".

Today it is quite clear what kind of tiger was meant. The prefix "gippo" means "horse". The ancient Romans well noted the similarity: the zebra really belongs to the family of horses. True, with closer examination, it is more like an ass - long ears, stiff firm mane, massive legs. Wherever the zebra, the harsh climate and many predators live, that's why such features help it survive: the length of the ears speaks of a sensitive ears, the mane will not interfere with running, and strong legs will quickly overcome the kilometers.

Habitat

The area where zebras are found is quite wide and depends on one or another kind of animal. There are desert, mountain and flat zebra. The first live in dry savannah (Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya), the latter can be found in Namibia and South Africa. Plains prefer the savannah of Sudan, Ethiopia and East Africa.

Soil in the savannah is poor in nutrients, so the main vegetation is stunted trees, shrubs and grass, which make up the ration of animals. Between the rainy seasons the land dries up, so the striped horses need to be constantly near the watering place. For a day they can travel a considerable distance, up to 50 km, but always return to their native place. If there is no water nearby, the zebra digs a hole in the pit by a hoof. Determine the exact location helps a subtle sense of smell.

Together more fun

Regardless of where the zebra lives and to which species it belongs, it is a herd animal. In the group there are about 10-15 heads, in large herds they are knocked down before the long journey. At the head of the male, the rest - females and cubs. The composition is permanent, you can get to know each other by drawing. Responsibilities in the group are clearly distributed. So, animals go to a watering place in a certain order: first the most experienced female, then according to the senior colt. At the end, a male walks. There are also "guards": when the herd is asleep, the two zebras remain on their feet in time to warn about the threat. Newborn babies are very independent: almost immediately after birth they begin to walk. But they firmly know that it is not safe to lose sight of my mother.

Zebras "are friends" with giraffes, ostriches, gazelles. Together, it is easier to resist predator, in addition, giraffes can notice the enemy from afar.

Black or white?

Black and white striped color - the most striking feature of the animal. Interesting fact: the stripes of a zebra as for a person fingerprints: it will not be possible to find two completely identical patterns.

Because of the unusual coloring in the scientific world at the end of the XIX century, there was even a dispute: some believed that the zebra was black and covered with white stripes, others claimed that the animal was light in black stripes. A reasonable opinion was expressed in this regard by Walter Johnson, a British naturalist. He suggested: since the ancient ancestor of a zebra is a horse, and all the ancient horses were dark (white patches appeared and stretched out during evolution), then the zebra should be considered black with white stripes. Later this idea was cited by more than one author.

What are stripes for? The answer will be prompted by the subequator zone where the zebra is living, savannah. There are practically no bushes and trees, and it is very difficult to hide. In such conditions, the color of a zebra is an excellent disguise. They easily merge with the long striped grass. Insects (for example, a tsetse fly) respond well to solid color, but do not notice a heterogeneous one. Zebras in the herd merge into one huge black and white spot, this is capable of disorienting the predator.

On the verge of extinction

Unfortunately, the beautiful color of the animal became fatal for him. Amazing view - kvagga - was exterminated at the end of the XIX century. The durable skin of these not-forked animals made them the main target of hunters.

The number of Grevy zebras is rapidly decreasing. Their unusual skins decorate the dwellings, the number of watering points decreases, pastures grow, while Grevy prefers to eat stiff grass. Animal conservation measures in Kenya take effective conservation measures: they are transported from arid areas to national parks and reserves. Places where zebras live today: Amboseli park in Kenya, Chester zoo (England), Saysambu reserve (Nakuru). In the international Red Book, Grevi is placed in the category of disappearing, but there is hope that the amazing view will continue.