Plains zebra in the shade of a tree in Tarangire National Park Tanzania
The plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchellii), is also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra. It is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Botswana and eastern South Africa. The plains zebra remains common in game reserves, but is threatened by human activities such as hunting for its meat and hide, as well as competition with livestock and encroachment by farming on much of its habitat. The plains zebra is a highly social species, forming harems with a single stallion, several mares and their recent offspring; there are also bachelor groups. Groups may come together to form herds. The animals keep watch for predators rather than attempting to hide; they bark or snort when they see a predator, and the harem stallion attacks predators such as lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and leopards to defend his harem. The species population is stable and not endangered, though some populations such as in Tanzania have declined sharply. The plains zebra is mid-sized, smaller on average than the other two zebra species, and thick bodied with relatively short legs. There is some variation in size, based on the animals' condition and subspecies. Adults of both sexes can stand from to m ( to ft) high at the withers (shoulder), are to m ( to ft) long, not counting a 47 to 56 cm (19 to 22 in) tail, and weigh 175 to 385 kg (386 to 849 lb). Males may weigh 10% more than females. Like all zebras, they are boldly striped in black and white, and no two individuals look exactly alike. They also have black or dark muzzles. The natal coat of a foal is brown and white. All have vertical stripes on the forepart of the body, which tend towards the horizontal on the hindquarters. The northern populations have narrower and more defined striping.
Size: 3317px × 4146px
Location: Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: africa, black, burchell, burchellii, common, east, equus, herbovore, plains, quagga, safari, shade, stripes, tanzania, tarangire, tree, white, zebra
