Like most , the zebra's eyes are on the sides of its head, giving it a wide field of view. The foals stay with their mothers, while adult males live alone. Among territorial stallions, the most dominant ones control territories near water sources, which mostly attract mares with dependant foals, while more subordinate stallions control territories away from water with greater amounts of vegetation, which mostly attract mares without dependant foals. Some of the area where Grevy's zebras live is called scrublands. The Grévy's zebra is found in and. Gestation of the Grévy's zebra normally lasts 390 days, with a single foal being born.
Although foals became less dependant on their mothers after half a year, associations with them continue for up to three years. They often migrate to better watered highlands during the dry season. Animal Behavior 40 6 : 1111—1118. Mares are usually polyandrous and mate with one male before switching territories and mating with another, although sometimes mares become monandrous. Africa has a wet season and dry season, and some of its habitats are semi-desert. Its population has declined from 15,000 to 3,000 since the 1970s. Extensive stripes are posited to have been of little use to equids that live in low densities in deserts like asses and some horses or ones that live in colder climates with shaggy coats and annual shading like some horses.
When surveying an area for predators, zebras will stand in an alert posture with ears erect, head held high, and staring. The latter, in particular is very similar to the Grévy's zebra and may have been its ancestor. Kenya is currently implementing a five-year conservation strategy for the species through a coalition of conservation organisations dedicated to protecting the species. Animal Conservation 12 6 : 505—13. In Kenya, important protected areas include the , and National Reserves and the private and community land wildlife conservancies in Isiolo, Samburu and the Laikipia Plateau. Grévy's zebra differs from the other two zebras in its more primitive characteristics.
These zebras weigh 350—450 kg 770—990 lb. Named after , it is the sole extant member of the subgenus Dolichohippus. Zebras also serve as mascots and symbols for products and corporations, notably and gum as well as Investec. The Grévy's zebra is legally protected in Ethiopia. Foals nurse heavily for half a year and may take as long as three years to be completely weaned.
Males use dung and urine in order to mark their territory. In captivity, plains zebras have been crossed with mountain zebras. Their digestive system allows them to subsist on diets of lower nutritional quality than that necessary for herbivores. Newborn foals can stand after six minutes, walk after 20 minutes, and they can run after an hour. Plains zebras are the most common zebras and live on the plains and savannas of Africa. While the foal will not likely be his, the stallion will look after it to ensure that the female stays in his territory. They may do this by baring their teeth, flattening their ears, kicking, or biting other males.
It has been suggested that when moving, the stripes may confuse observers, such as mammalian predators and biting insects, by two : the , where the perceived motion is inverted, and the , where the perceived motion is in a wrong direction. While female associations with individual males are brief and mating is , females who have just given birth will reside with one male for long periods and mate exclusively with that male. Horace 1893 , , pp. It was subsequently forgotten in the Western world for a thousand years. Kenya launches national strategy to conserve Grevy's zebra.
Grévy's zebras are preyed on by , , , and. An imprinted foal will directly follow its mother and can recognize the shape of the stripes on its mother's backside. They usually prefer arid grasslands or acacia savannas. African Journal of Ecology 43 4 : 392—95. A territorial male has the right to breeding females in that territory. These areas have bushes or shrubs, a lot of different herbs, like rosemary and oregano, as well as grasses to eat.
They commonly browse when grasses are not plentiful. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Grévy's zebras rely on , , and for nutrition. It is the only remaining extant member of the sub genus Dolichohippus. In addition, they are susceptible to various gastro-intestinal parasites, notably of the genus. American Society of Mammalogists, 453: 1-9.
The is tall and erect; juveniles have a mane that extends to the length of the back and shortens as they reach adulthood. Ecology and behavior Zebras Like most members of the horse family, zebras are highly social. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome. Accessed November 10, 2009 at. They are primarily hunted for their striking skins, but will occasionally be killed for food and, in some regions, medicinal uses continue. Description From left to right: a cranium, a complete skeleton, a left forefoot frontal, and a left forefoot lateral from a Grévy's zebra.
Status and conservation Grevy's zebras in. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. Bachelor males either live alone or with groups of other bachelors until they are old enough to challenge a breeding stallion. Accessed November 10, 2009 at. The resident stallions of territories will try to subdue the entering mares with dominance rituals and then continue with courtship and copulation.
