Did You Know? The Zebra

Zebras are fascinating animals that are found in parts of Africa. There are three types of zebras: the plains zebra, the mountain zebra, and the Grevy’s zebra.  We’d like to share some interesting facts about our equine friends.

Did you know that Zebra’s:

1. Have black and white stripes which are unique to each individual, like a human fingerprint.
2. Can run up to 65 kilometres per hour, making them one of the fastest animals in Africa.
3. Have excellent eyesight and hearing which helps them to avoid predators like lions and hyenas.
4. Communicate with each other using different sounds like barks, snorts, and whinnies.
5. Can stand and run within an hour of being born.
6. Are herbivores, which means they eat only plants like grasses and leaves.
7. Live in groups called herds and are very social animals.
8. Can sleep standing up, with one eye open to watch for predators.
9. Stripes may help to deter biting flies, which are attracted to solid colors and may have a harder time landing on the striped pattern.

And lastly, the age-old question, “are zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes”? Zebras are black with white stripes. This is because even though they have black and white fur, a zebra’s skin is black. If you shaved a zebra it would be almost completely black!