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Where do ferrets come from

According to phylogenetic studies, the ferret was domesticated from the European polecat (Mustela putorius), and likely descends from a North African lineage of the species. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA suggests that ferrets were domesticated around 2,500 years ago. Wikipedia › wiki › Ferret Ferret - Wikipedia

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where do ferrets come from? - Google Search

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Where do ferrets come from According to phylogenetic studies, the ferret was domesticated from the European polecat (Mustela putorius), and likely descends from a North African lineage of the species. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA suggests that ferrets were domesticated around 2,500 years ago.

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The cheetah cub is the first animal in the life cycle.The cheetah cub weighs from 150g to 30g.When the cheetah is 2 months old,its eyes will open and it will see the wild for the first time ever.At...

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CHEETAHS FOR KIDS - Cheetah Facts Videos for Children, Preschoolers and Kindergarten

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Cute Lion Cubs | Archive Lion Pride Footage

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Tiger facts

1) Tigers are the largest wild cats in the world.

Adults can weigh up to 363kg (that's about the same as ten ten year olds!) and measure up to 3.3m!

2) Tigers are carnivores, eating only meat.

They mainly feed on large mammals such as deer, wild pigs, antelope and buffalo.

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3) Tigers are solitary hunters, and generally search for food alone at night.

They quietly stalk their prey until they are close enough to pounce - then they kill their victim with a bite to the neck or back of the head. Ouch!

4) Tigers are good swimmers!

Unlike most members of the cat family, they like water and often cool off in pools or streams.

5) A tiger's roar can be heard as far as three kilometres away.

SO when they want to be heard, you'll know about it, gang!

6) At full speed, tigers can reach up to 65km/h.

That's right - they may be big and heavy, but tigers are by no means slow movers!

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable tiger primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

7) These fierce felines have walked the earth for a long time.

Fossil remains of tigers found in parts of China are believed to be 2 million years old. Yikes!

8) No two tigers have the same stripes.

Since every tiger has their own pattern on their fur, they are all unique!

9) Today, there are five subspecies of tiger.

These subspecies are the Bengal tiger, South China tiger, Indochinese tiger, Sumatran tiger and Amur tiger (also known as Siberian tiger). Sadly, three subspecies of tiger have become extinct - the Caspian, Bali and Javan.

10) Less than 100 years ago, tigers could be found throughout Asia.

Sadly, hunting and habitat loss have put populations at risk, and today their range has been reduced to around 7% of its former size. That's why we need to do all we can to protect these beautiful beasts!

Discover more roar-some big cats! Visit our lion facts, leopard facts, cheetah facts, jaguar facts or lynx facts articles to find out about these cool creatures.

Love our tiger facts? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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Adults can weigh up to 363kg (that's about the same as ten ten year olds!) and measure up to 3.3m! They mainly feed on large mammals such as deer, wild pigs, antelope and buffalo. (AD) They quietly stalk their prey until they are close enough to pounce - then they kill their victim with a bite to the neck or back of the head.

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Royal Bengal Tiger seen around Sunderban today morning

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Do you know how a wolf pack is organized?

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gray wolf, ( Canis lupus), largest wild member of the dog family ( Canidae). It inhabits vast areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Between 5 and 24 subspecies of gray wolves are recognized in North America and 7 to 12 are recognized in Eurasia, with 1 in Africa. Wolves were domesticated several thousand years ago, and selective breeding produced dogs.

Physical description

Keen senses, large canine teeth, powerful jaws, and the ability to pursue prey at 60 km (37 miles) per hour equip the gray wolf well for a predatory way of life. A typical northern male may be about 2 metres (6.6 feet) long, including the bushy half-metre-long tail. Standing 76 cm (30 inches) tall at the shoulder, it weighs about 45 kg (100 pounds), but weight ranges from 14 to 65 kg (31 to 143 pounds), depending on the geographic area. Females average about 20 percent smaller than males. The largest wolves are found in west-central Canada, Alaska, and across northern Asia. The smallest tend to be near the southern end of their distribution (the Middle East, Arabia, and India). Fur on the upper body, though usually gray, may be brown, reddish, black, or whitish, while the underparts and legs are usually yellow-white. Light-coloured wolves are common in Arctic regions.

Gray wolves usually live in packs of up to two dozen individuals; packs numbering 6 to 10 are most common. A pack is basically a family group consisting of an adult breeding pair (the alpha male and alpha female) and their offspring of various ages. The ability of wolves to form strong social bonds with one another is what makes the wolf pack possible. A dominance hierarchy is established within the pack, which helps maintain order. The alpha male and alpha female continually assert themselves over their subordinates, and they guide the activities of the group. The female predominates in roles such as care and defense of pups, whereas the male predominates in foraging and food provisioning and in travels associated with those activities. Both sexes are very active in attacking and killing prey, but during the summer hunts are often conducted alone.

A pack's territory can be 80 to 3,000 square km (31 to 1,200 square miles), depending on prey abundance, and it is vigorously defended against neighbouring packs. Wolves communicate with one another by visual signaling (facial expression, body position, tail position), vocalizations, and scent marking. Howling helps the pack stay in contact and also seems to strengthen social bonds among pack members. Along with howling, marking of territory with urine and feces lets neighbouring packs know they should not intrude. Intruders are often killed by resident packs, yet in some circumstances they are accepted.

Breeding

Breeding occurs between February and April, and a litter of usually five or six pups is born in the spring after a gestation period of about two months. The young are usually born in a den consisting of a natural hole or a burrow, often in a hillside. A rock crevice, hollow log, overturned stump, or abandoned beaver lodge may be used as a den, and even a depression beneath the lower branches of a conifer will sometimes suffice. All members of the pack care solicitously for the young. After being weaned from their mother's milk at six to nine weeks, they are fed a diet of regurgitated meat. Throughout spring and summer the pups are the centre of attention as well as the geographic focus of the pack's activities. After a few weeks the pups are usually moved from the den to an aboveground "rendezvous site," where they play and sleep while adults hunt. The pups grow rapidly and are moved farther and more often as summer comes to an end. In autumn the pack starts to travel again within its territory, and the pups must keep up. Most pups are almost adult size by October or November.

After two or more years in the pack, many leave to search for a mate, establish a new territory, and possibly even start their own pack. Those who stay with the pack may eventually replace a parent to become a breeding animal (alpha). Large packs seem to result from fewer young wolves' leaving the group and from litters' being produced by more than one female. Wolves that leave their packs are known to have traveled as far as 886 km (550 miles).

Predators and prey

Gray wolves move and hunt mostly at night, especially in areas populated by humans and during warm weather. The main prey are large herbivores such as deer, elk, moose, bison, bighorn sheep, caribou, and musk oxen, which they chase, seize, and pull to the ground. Beavers and hares are eaten when available, and wolves in western Canada even fish for Pacific salmon. A large percentage of the animals that wolves kill are young, old, or in poor condition. After making a kill, the pack gorges (consuming some 3 to 9 kg [7 to 20 pounds] per animal) and then lingers, often reducing the carcass to hair and a few bones before moving on to look for another meal.

Biologists still disagree on the effect wolves have on the size of prey populations. Wolves may kill livestock and dogs when they have the opportunity, yet many wolves that live near livestock rarely, if ever, kill them. The number of stock killed in North America is small but increasing as wolves expand their range. By 2018, wolves were thought to be responsible for the losses of hundreds of heads of cattle and other livestock per year in the U.S. To ameliorate the concerns of livestock owners and dampen the potential backlash against wolves, several states have programs that compensate livestock owners for the losses to their herds when there is evidence of wolf attacks on their animals. During the 1990s average annual losses to wolves in Minnesota were 72 cattle, 33 sheep, and 648 turkeys, plus a few individuals of other types of livestock. Stock losses are higher in Eurasia. In some areas wolves survive only by killing livestock and eating livestock carrion and human garbage. Nonetheless, wolves usually avoid contact with humans. There have been few substantiated wolf attacks on humans in North America. Such attacks are unusual but have occurred in Eurasia and India and sometimes have resulted in death.

Wolves have few natural enemies other than human beings. They can live up to 13 years in the wild, but most die long before that age. Diseases and parasites that can affect wolves include canine parvovirus, distemper, rabies, blastomycosis, Lyme disease, lice, mange, and heartworm. In most areas of the world, humans are the leading cause of death for wolves. In areas of high wolf density and declining prey populations, the major causes of death are killing by other wolves and starvation.

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Gray wolf | Size, Habitat, Diet, Predators, & Facts

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Gray wolf, largest wild member of the dog family (Canidae). It inhabits vast areas of the Northern Hemisphere. The largest males stand roughly 76 cm (30 inches) tall at the shoulder and can weigh up to 65 kg (143 pounds). Wolves were domesticated several thousand years ago, and selective breeding produced dogs.

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Meet the Animals | Gray Wolf | Wild Animals | Stories for Kindergarten

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Giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. Due to its unique appearance and immense height, Giraffe is well known among kids. Giraffe has always been center of attraction in zoos and kids are often curious about it. We have gathered complete set of Giraffe Facts For Kids that will answers all the questions that your kids might have in their mind about the Giraffe. You are going to learn all about Giraffes including its meaning, appearance, scientific name, classification, height weight, neck, legs, tails, horns, teeth, hair, ears, heart, feet, stomach, lifespan, diet, speeds, sleep, habitat, male, female, lifecycle, reproduction, babies, species, population, endangerment, predators, adaptations and many other interesting facts about Giraffe.

The known earliest origin of the name "giraffe" is the Arabic word " زرافة" (Zarafah), which means "fast walker".

In Middle English, there were several spellings of the name, such as "ziraph", "jarraf", and "gerfauntz".

The current English form of the animal's name "Giraffe" arose in about 1600 from "girafe", the French name of the animal.

The closest living relatives of both giraffe and okapi are cows, deer, musk deer, and pronghorns.

The following is the scientific classification or taxonomy of giraffe:

The height of a full-grown giraffe is up to 14.1 to 18.7 feet (4.3 to 5.7 meters).

Males are usually taller than females.

Tallest Giraffe In The World - Biggest Giraffe In The World

The recorded tallest male giraffe in the world was 19.3 feet (5.88 meters) tall.

While the recorded tallest female was 17.0 feet (5.17 meters) tall.

Fattest Giraffe In The World

A giraffe has only one heart.

It has more than 25 pounds (11 kg) weight while up to 2 feet (60 cm) length.

The heart has up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) thick walls.

It is powerful enough to pump blood along the long neck to the brain and to the entire body.

The usual heart rate of a giraffe is 50 beats per minute, which is high for its size.

The blood pressure of a giraffe is approximately double to that of humans, which is necessary for the maintenance of blood flow to the brain.

How Long Do Giraffes Live In Captivity

A giraffe lives for up to 38 years in captivity.

How Long Do Giraffes Live In The Wild

In the wild, a giraffe live for up to 25 years.

Giraffes are herbivores in nature.

They mostly eat the twigs and foliage of trees, shrubs, grasses, and fruits.

The daily diet of a giraffe is about 75 pounds (34 kg) foliage.

The twigs and leaves of the trees of the subfamily and the genera Terminalia and Commiphora is their favorite diet. These are rich in proteins and calcium and sustain the growth rate of the giraffe.

As compared to other herbivores, giraffes require less food as they feed on the foliage which has a high amount of nutrients.

When sitting down, a giraffe kneels on its front legs and then move down the rest of its body.

Giraffes are native to the continent of Africa.

They usually found in open woodlands and savannas where they can easily watch predators from long distances and can flee quickly.

Giraffes flourish in the habitats having hot climates.

Their home range is between 20 and 129 km².

Giraffes are found in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa.

All the subspecies of giraffe are found in the same habitat of savannas, open woodlands, and forests.

The remaining giraffes in the wild are less than 100,000 individuals.

In the Swahili language, a giraffe is known as "Twiga".

A male giraffe is called a "Bull".

Male giraffes have a large size with up to 19 feet height and a maximum body-weight of up to 1,930 kg.

The coat color of male giraffes become darker with age.

Male giraffes have thick ossicones with bald tips.

They also have a stronger odor.

Male giraffes are less social and attempt to establish dominance among herd through clashing and sparing their horns and through "necking" with other males.

What Is A Baby Giraffe Called

How Tall Is A Baby Giraffe

A baby giraffe is about 5.6 to 6.6 feet (1.7 to 2 meters) tall at birth.

How Much Does A Baby Giraffe Weigh

At birth, a baby giraffe weighs up to 104 to 154 pounds (47 to 70 kg).

According to IUCN, there is only one species of giraffe, which is further divided into 9 subspecies.

In 2007, a genetic study of Giraffa suggested the existence of 6 species; the West African, South African, Rothschild's, Masai, Reticulated, and Angolan giraffe.

A 2011 study, based on the analysis of giraffe's morphology and the application of cladistic or phylogenetic species concept, suggests the existence of 8 species of living giraffes. These are:

Angolan giraffe or Namibian giraffe (G. angolensis)

Kordofan giraffe (G. antiquorum)

South African or Cape giraffe (G. giraffa)

Nubian giraffe or Baringo giraffe or Ugandan giraffe (G. camelopardalis)

Reticulated giraffe or Somali giraffe (G. reticulata)

West African giraffe or Niger or Nigerian giraffe (G. peralta)

Masai giraffe or Kilimanjaro giraffe (G. tippelskirchi)

Thornicroft's giraffe or Luangwa giraffe or Rhodesian giraffe (G. thornicrofti)

It is also called a three-horned giraffe.

Northern giraffes are indigenous to North Africa.

There are three proposed subspecies of the northern giraffe:

Nubian giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis)

Kordofan giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum)

The West African giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis peralta)

The current population of northern giraffes is 5,195.

It is also called a two-horned giraffe and is indigenous to Southern Africa.

Their habitat range includes South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Mozambique.

The current population of the southern giraffe is estimated as 44,500 individuals.

There are two proposed subspecies of the southern giraffe:

Angolan giraffe (Giraffa giraffa angolensis)

South African or Cape giraffe (Giraffa giraffa giraffa)

However, the IUCN recognizes only a single species of giraffe, which has 9 subspecies.

It is a subspecies of giraffe indigenous to East Africa.

They are found throughout Tanzania and in the southern regions of Kenya.

Individuals of Masai giraffes are largest among all the 9 subspecies, which makes them the tallest land animals of the planet earth.

Their population in the wild is estimated as 32,550 individuals.

It is a subspecies of giraffe found in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Botswana.

They have dark rounded or blotched spots on the tawny color background on the skin.

In 2016, their estimated population in the wild was 31,500 individuals.

They inhabit the Sahel areas of West Africa.

They have light color spots on their skin which makes them easily distinguishable from other subspecies.

In 2016, their population was estimated as 400 to 450 individuals in the wild.

They are found in open woodlands, savannahs, and grasslands of Kenya and Uganda.

The patch pattern on their coat resembles Masai giraffe.

However, the patches on its skin are sharper and less jagged with a cream color background as compared to Masai giraffe.

Rothschild's giraffes have five ossicones; two at the top of the head just like other giraffes, one at the center of the forehead, and two behind the ears.

In 2016, their population was estimated as 1,669 individuals.

It is also known as Somali giraffe and is found in Somalia, northern Kenya, and southern Ethiopia.

The coat of reticulated giraffe has reddish-brown or liver color large polygonal spots. A network of bright white lines separate the spots.

Their population in the wild is estimated as 8,500 individuals.

Okapi is also known as the zebra-giraffe, the forest giraffe, half zebra half giraffe, and Congolese giraffe.

It is an even-toed ungulate mammal indigenous to the northeast regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Despite having stripped marking on the legs like a zebra, the okapi is the close relative of the giraffe.

Male okapis have ossicones like a giraffe.

They are found in canopy forest habitat.

Okapi is in the list of endangered species of the IUCN Red List.

The following are the extinct prehistoric species of giraffes lived during the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Miocene epoch:

Lions are the primary natural predators of giraffes.

To hunt an adult giraffe, the whole pride of lions usually cooperate.

Leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs hunt the vulnerable baby and juvenile giraffes.

Giraffes sometimes also become prey to the Nile crocodiles when they bend down to drink water.

Human beings are the most dangerous predators of giraffes and kill them for their skin, meat, and trophy hunting.

Giraffes have several adaptations, which helps them to survive in their natural habitat. These adaptations include:

The long neck of a giraffe allows them to eat leaves of long trees. It also helps them to see a long way in all directions. Due to their long necks, they can detect threats and see predators from a long distance and have time to flee. That is why giraffes have a long lifespan among ruminants.

A giraffe has up to 18-inch long prehensile tongue, which can twist, wrap around and can grasp things. The upper lip of giraffe is also prehensile and is covered with hair, which protects them from thorns when foraging. The purple-black color of the tongue acts like a sun-screen and provides protection from sunburn.

Giraffes have a hard and tough skin with a pattern of blotches or patches of dark red-brown or blackish-brown color. The pattern on the coat provides them camouflage. Under the dark regions of the skin, complex blood vessels and large sweat glands lay that act like thermoregulating windows. Their thick skin allows them to run unaffected between thorny bushes. The fur also has chemicals with parasite repellent qualities and provides them a chemical defense.

Giraffes do not need to drink water at short intervals. They usually drink water at intervals of a few days, mostly after 3 days. A giraffe can also drink a large amount of water, about 10 gallons at a time. It is a good adaptation as their long neck is too short for them to reach the ground and they must bend on their knees to drink water. Bending on knees makes them vulnerable to predators, especially crocodiles and lions.

It was found in Africa and became extinct about 0.781 million years ago during the Pleistocene epoch.

Giraffa pygmaea was of a smaller size than the modern giraffes.

Harold the giraffe is an 11-year-old giraffe at Werribee Open Range Zoo, in Australia.

April the Giraffe is a female reticulated giraffe held at the Animal Adventure Park in New York, USA.

She was born in 2002 at the Catskill Game Farm in New York.

She was relocated to the Animal Adventure Park in 2015.

In 2017, she gained worldwide attention when she was pregnant with her 4th child, Tajiri.

About 1.2 million viewers watched the live video of her giving birth.

She gave birth to another calf, her 5th baby on March 16, 2019, which was named Azizi.

Giraffe Problems is a book written for kids by Jory John.

The following are some of the common features between a camel and a giraffe:

Both are mammals.

Both are even-toed ungulates (belongs to the order Artiodactyla).

Both are ruminants.

The genetic divergence of the ancestors of both occurred about 50 million years ago.

Safari means an expedition to see or hunt animals in their natural habitats.

Some of the best sites to see a giraffe on safari are:

Murchison National Park, Uganda

Northern Selous, Tanzania

Chyulu Hills, Kenya

Meru National Park, Kenya

South Luangwa, Zambia

75. Giraffe Facts For Kids Video

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Giraffe Facts For Kids - All About Giraffes

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Best Giraffe Facts For Kids. Llearn all about Giraffes including its meaning, appearance, scientific name, classification, height weight, neck, legs, tails, horns, teeth, hair, ears, heart, feet, stomach, lifespan, diet, speeds, sleep, habitat, male, female, lifecycle, reproduction, babies, species, population, endangerment, predators, adaptations and many other interesting facts about Giraffe.

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Giraffes walk, gallop and play at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

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Giraffe Family in Kruger National Park, South Africa

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YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS BEFORE BUYING A FERRET

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Ferret Nutrition 101

If you have just gotten a ferret, or are thinking of getting a ferret, it's a really good idea to do a little research into the best nutritional diet for your new little pal. PetMD is here to help you on your way.

When and What Do Ferrets Eat?

To begin, ferrets have a high metabolic rate, so they will eat around 8 to 10 small meals daily. And being strict carnivores, like cats, they need a high protein food source. Food pellets are an excellent source of protein for ferrets, which can be found at your veterinarian's office or the local pet store.

You will need to read the ingredient list on the packet to make sure that the pellets are made of the most nutritious ingredients. As lists go, the ingredients are listed in order from highest to lowest quantity. As such, chicken or lamb should always be the first ingredient listed for a good ferret food. Additionally, avoid foods that include grain or corn.

Can Ferrets Eat Cat Food?

If you are not able to find a prepackaged ferret food in your area, don't panic. Kitten food works as well (again, check the ingredients list), as long as you give your ferret fatty acid supplements, which are available from a pet store. Kitten food has a higher protein content than adult cat food and is therefore more suitable.

What Other Foods Can I Give My Ferret?

Homemade food is another way to feed your ferret. You can feed your ferret cooked or raw chicken along with the pellets. Chicken baby food is acceptable as a supplement to the pellet diet, too. Remember that the dry food is an important staple, as it helps to keep their teeth clean.

What Foods Can't My Ferret Eat?

Avoid foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, or anything containing sugar. Because ferets are strict carnivores, their digestive tracts cannot process these types of food

Variety is the Key

Like cats, ferrets can be fussy creatures, preferring only one type of food, so it's a good idea to vary it up (just in case a brand either changes its ingredient makeup or goes out of business). If you do have a fussy ferret, you might try slowly mixing small amounts of the new food in with the old, until you transition over completely to the new food. This may take about two weeks.

If you choose to feed your ferret pellets, choose the shape of the pellets carefully. Triangles or anything with sharp corners can jab the roof of your ferret's mouth, so smooth, small chunks and oval shapes are the best.

Watch Out For the Hairballs

Ferrets also get hairballs from self-grooming, but they don't regurgitate them like cats do. To combat the problem, manufacturers have designed treats to prevent hairballs from developing. Supplement these treats into your ferret's diet and weekly routine.

If your ferret does have hairballs that have become lodged, you may need to take it in to a veterinarian to have it surgically removed. The ability to prevent any hairball-related complications far outweigh the costs of this cure.

Smart (and Healthy) Treats

Speaking of treats, ferrets love them! Good treats for ferrets include cooked egg, cat treats, and bits of chicken, turkey, or lamb. Meanwhile, you should avoid giving your ferret any grains, vegetables, ice cream, or chocolate. It's best to stick with treats that are specifically made for ferrets or, second best, treats that are made for cats-but never dog treats.

Here's a tip: Ask your neighborhood butcher for cast-off pieces of fresh meat, like the organs and other bits that people don't like but that ferrets do. To avoid any potential for illness caused by raw meat, cook the meats before you feed them to your ferret. One way to make treat time easy is to cook up a batch of meat and cut it into small chunks that can be frozen for convenience-a minute or so in the microwave on thaw setting and happy times are here!

This is just the beginning of getting to know your furry new friend. Now that you know what to feed your ferret, when to feed it, and what not to feed it, you can start having some fun bonding.

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What Do Ferrets Eat? A Guide to Feeding Your Ferret

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If you have just gotten a ferret, or are thinking of getting a ferret, it's a really good idea to do a little research into the best nutritional diet for your new little pal. PetMD is here to help you on your way.

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Children's Books read aloud -  It's Fun to Be a Panda

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Unless it is a Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), none of the penguin species reach the northern hemisphere, since they are birds that live only in the southern hemisphere. According to the species, they can live in Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and several islands located between latitudes 45º and 58º South.

However, not any place or island seems a suitable place to live. Penguins require habitats where nature provides them with shelter, enough food, and space where they can interact and reproduce. A habitat is an area where a species lives because it allows its survival, development, and reproduction increasing its chances of survival.

Typically, the members of a species follow the path of evolution during centuries to fully adapt to the conditions of their habitats, which is why penguins have a layer of feathers that isolates them from the wind and low temperatures of their habitat. All the penguins maintain a body temperature between the 38º and the 39º C regardless the cold conditions of their habitats.

The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the species that lives in the coldest habitat of all since some Antarctic zones reach a temperature as cold as -40º or -60º C. To withstand the effects of this harsh climate, their feathers, and their abundant body fat are their best resources.

But the habitats of penguins are not always cold; some can be warm and temperate, and penguins manage to survive, as long as the environment is not arid because their body cannot endure in such environment. For example, the Galapagos penguin lives very well in these tropical islands; however, in a place where the water does not reach more than 28º C, in southern Africa, there is also a species of penguins.

The biomes that inhabit penguins are coastal and oceanic, so they are always beside the sea, where they get their food. Some species spend up to 80 percent of their life in the water or several months during the year in the ocean, and only use icebergs as places to rest.

If it is time to settle on land, they prefer islands and remote continental sites, devoid of predators, to reduce danger and have a greater chance of survival. The most southern place where they can live temporary is at Cape Royds, a Cape in the Ross Sea in Antarctica.

What characteristics do penguins look to settle on a site?

-Climate and water temperature.
It depends on the species because while the penguins of the Galapagos withstand a warm climate, the Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) need low temperatures to avoid fainting; that is why, along with the emperor penguins, they are the only other species who live all their lives in Antarctica. In both cases, they developed adaptations, either to dissipate the heat or to save it according to the circumstances.

The temperature of the water should be cold or at least cool, due to the density of their feathers. In tropical areas where some species live, water is usually about 10° C colder than their body temperature, so if they overheat, they just get into the ocean.

-Availability of food.
They usually settle in places near ocean currents that carry cold, nutrient-rich water, which means that krill and other prey are also there.

Many colonies of penguins live near the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the Benguela Current, and the Humboldt Current.

- Lack of Predators.
As mentioned, they make sure to nest in areas where predators can not easily access. Due to the danger of being attacked, nesting colonies are very dense.
Sources:
http://www.iucnredlist.org/

http://animaldiversity.org/search/?q=penguins&feature=INFORMATION

https://seaworld.org/en/animal-info/animal-infobooks/penguin/habitat-and-distribution

http://www.worldwildlife.org/blogs/good-nature-travel/posts/where-in-the-world-you-can-see-penguins
BioExpedition Publishing © 2017.

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Unless it is a Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), none of the penguin species reach the northern hemisphere, since they are birds that live only in the southern hemisphere. According to the species, they can live in Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and several islands located between latitudes 45º and 58º South.

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Penguins

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Kitten

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When bringing home a newly adopted kitten, it is imperative that you get it checked out by a veterinarian as soon as possible. This is not only for your kitten's own health, but to also ensure that it doesn't share any serious communicable diseases. Ideally, your kitten would be examined prior to even bringing it home with you, but you should try to get it seen by a vet within 48 hours if the kitten appears to be healthy. If the kitten is showing any symptoms of an illness, such as watery eyes, sneezing, difficulty breathing, or failure to eat, it should be seen immediately. Regardless of whether or not you think your kitten is healthy though, you should keep your kitten away from other cats until a veterinarian gives your kitten the go-ahead for socializing.

Just like an adult cat receives, your veterinarian will perform a thorough hands-on physical examination of your kitten in order to find physical abnormalities. This examination includes:

Checking inside your kitten's mouth: Baby teeth, the tongue, and the roof of the mouth will especially be examined.

Taking your kitten's temperature: A normal rectal temperature of a cat is about 101 F to 103 F. If your kitten's temperature is too high or too low, it may be an indication of a problem.

Palpating your kitten's abdomen: Your vet will gently feel your kitten's belly for anything abnormal.

Listening to your kitten's heart and lungs: A cat should have a normal rhythm to their heartbeat with no murmurs. The lungs should be clear with only air flowing through them.

Testing your kitten's muscles and joints for mobility: Your vet will feel your kitten's legs, especially their knees, to make sure everything is the way it should be. They may watch your kitten walk around to make sure they have a normal gait.

Checking your kitten's eyes: An ophthalmoscope may be used to examine your kitten's eyes. Your vet will also look for signs of illness including watery and crusty eyes.

Checking your kitten's ears for mites: Heavy, black debris in the ears is a good sign that a kitten has ear mites. Ear mites are very common in kittens so your vet may swab a sample from inside the ear to check for microscopic mites.

Combing your kitten's fur for evidence of fleas: Fleas love cats of all ages. A flea comb may be used to look for fleas.

Fecal analysis:You will probably be asked to bring a fecal sample from your kitten with you to your vet. The veterinary team will run tests using the fecal sample to check for parasites like intestinal worms, giardia, and other potential concerns. Your vet may administer a de-worming medication to your kitten at each visit since not all intestinal parasites show up on fecal tests and a large percentage of kittens have them. Many parasites can be passed on to people, so it is important to eliminate them from your kitten.

Blood tests: The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends testing for FeLV and FIV on all newly-adopted cats, regardless of age, and whether or not there are other cats in their new home. If your kitten is younger than nine weeks of age, your veterinarian may want to wait until it is at least nine weeks old before testing for FeLV and FIV since kittens less than nine weeks of age are more likely to show a false result. If other cats are in the home with your young kitten, it is recommended to keep them isolated until they have tested negative for FeLV and FIV in case your new kitten has a transmissible disease.

Most states require cats to receive at least a rabies vaccine, which is not done until your kitten is a little older. You should also discuss other vaccines, such as rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia with your veterinarian. Vaccines need to be given at certain ages and in specific intervals to be effective.

Unless this was done prior to your kitten's adoption, you'll need to make an appointment for this surgery. Spaying and neutering are usually done around five to six months of age but some veterinarians will recommend it be done earlier or later.

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What to Expect With Your Kitten's First Vet Visit

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When bringing home a newly adopted kitten, it is imperative that you get it checked out by a veterinarian as soon as possible. This is not only for your kitten's own health, but to also ensure that it doesn't share any serious communicable diseases.

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Read Aloud

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The Right Dog For The Job Ira’s Path from Service Dog to Guide Dog by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

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Read Aloud

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Read Aloud

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Unite for Literacy provides free digital access to picture books, narrated in many languages. Literacy is at the core of a healthy community, so we unite with partners to enable all families to read with their young children.

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Unite for Literacy provides free digital access to picture books, narrated in many languages. Literacy is at the core of a healthy community, so we unite with partners to enable all families to read with their young children.

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Kids love dogs. Our librarians do too! When asked which book dogs are their favorite for storytime, Harry the Dirty Dog and Bark, George won by a landslide! Harry is the story of a pooch who doesn't want to take a bath. George is about a puppy whose mother can't seem to teach him how to bark. "Meow," says George!

You can see all the librarians' selections below to make bedtime just as much fun as storytime! We have also listed some printable activities to help little readers, who can't get enough puppy love, with their early learning writing skills. Watch the video of Betty White reading Harry the Dirty Dog right now!

You can also use your indyPL Library Card to check out dog e-books and e-audiobooks from home right to your device. These links will show you all the choices:

Need help? Please call 317-275-4184 or text 317-333-6877 during regular Central Library hours, message us on social media, or contact the webmaster.

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Read Right Now! Dogs | Indianapolis Public Library

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Kids love dogs. Our librarians do too! When asked which book dogs are their favorite for storytime, Harry the Dirty Dog and Bark, George won by a landslide! Harry is the story of a pooch who doesn't want to take a bath. George is about a puppy whose mother can't seem to teach him how to bark.

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Lots and Lots of Zebra Stripes (Ready Read Alouds)

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Zebra

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Zebra

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Wikepedia Description

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Zebras (, ) (subgenus Hippotigris) are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra ( Equus grevyi), plains zebra ( E. quagga), and the mountain zebra ( E. zebra). Zebras share the genus with horses and asses, the three groups being the only living members of the family Equidae. Zebra stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual. Several theories have been proposed for the function of these stripes, with most evidence supporting them as a deterrent for biting flies. Zebras inhabit eastern and southern Africa and can be found in a variety of habitats such as savannahs, grasslands, woodlands, shrublands, and mountainous areas.

Zebras are primarily grazers and can subsist on lower-quality vegetation. They are preyed on mainly by lions, and typically flee when threatened but also bite and kick. Zebra species differ in social behaviour, with plains and mountain zebra living in stable harems consisting of an adult male or stallion, several adult females or mares, and their young or foals; while Grévy's zebra live alone or in loosely associated herds. In harem-holding species, adult females mate only with their harem stallion, while male Grévy's zebras establish territories which attract females and the species is promiscuous. Zebras communicate with various vocalisations, body postures and facial expressions. Social grooming strengthens social bonds in plains and mountain zebras.

Zebras' dazzling stripes make them among the most recognisable mammals. They have been featured in art and stories in Africa and beyond. Historically, they have been highly sought after by exotic animal collectors, but unlike horses and donkeys, zebras have never been truly domesticated. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Grévy's zebra as endangered, the mountain zebra as vulnerable and the plains zebra as near-threatened. The quagga ( E. quagga quagga), a type of plains zebra, was driven to extinction in the 19th century. Nevertheless, zebras can be found in numerous protected areas.

The English name "zebra" derives from Italian, Spanish or Portuguese. Its origins may lie in the Latin equiferus, meaning "wild horse". Equiferus appears to have entered into Portuguese as ezebro or zebro, which was originally used for a legendary equine in the wilds of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. In 1591, Italian explorer Filippo Pigafetta recorded "zebra" being used to refer to the African animals by Portuguese visitors to the continent. In ancient times, the African zebra was called hippotigris ("horse tiger") by the Greeks and Romans.

The word zebra was traditionally pronounced with a long initial vowel, but over the course of the 20th century the pronunciation with the short initial vowel became the norm in British English. The pronunciation with a long initial vowel remains standard in American English.

Zebras are classified in the genus (known as equines) along with horses and asses. These three groups are the only living members of the family Equidae. The plains zebra and mountain zebra were traditionally placed in the subgenus Hippotigris (C. H. Smith, 1841) in contrast to the Grévy's zebra which was considered the sole species of subgenus Dolichohippus (Heller, 1912). Groves and Bell (2004) placed all three species in the subgenus Hippotigris. A 2013 phylogenetic study found that the plains zebra is more closely related to Grévy's zebras than mountain zebras. The extinct quagga was originally classified as a distinct species. Later genetic studies have placed it as the same species as the plains zebra, either a subspecies or just the southernmost population. Molecular evidence supports zebras as a monophyletic lineage.

Equus originated in North America and direct paleogenomic sequencing of a 700,000-year-old middle Pleistocene horse metapodial bone from Canada implies a date of 4.07 million years ago (mya) for the most recent common ancestor of the equines within the range of 4.0 to 4.5 mya. Horses split from asses and zebras around this time and equines colonised Eurasia and Africa around 2.1-3.4 mya. Zebras and asses diverged from each other close to 2 mya. The mountain zebra diverged from the other species around 1.6 mya and the plains and Grévy's zebra split 1.4 mya.

A 2017 mitochondrial DNA study placed the Eurasian Equus ovodovi and the subgenus Sussemionus lineage as closer to zebras than to asses. However, other studies disputed this placement, finding the Sussemionus lineage basal to the zebra+asses group, but suggested that the Sussemionus lineage may have received gene flow from zebras.

The cladogram of Equus below is based on Vilstrup and colleagues (2013) and Jónsson and colleagues (2014):

Extant species

Name

Description

Distribution

Subspecies

Chromosomes

Image

Grévy's zebra ( Equus grevyi)

Body length of 250-300 cm (98-118 in) with 38-75 cm (15-30 in) tail, 125-160 cm (4.10-5.25 ft) shoulder height and weighs 352-450 kg (776-992 lb); Thin, elongated skull, robust neck and conical ears; narrow striping pattern with concentric rump stripes, white belly and tail base and white line around the ashy muzzle[8][24]

Eastern Africa including the Horn;[24] arid and semiarid grasslands and shrublands

Monotypic[24]

46

Plains zebra ( Equus quagga)

Body length of 217-246 cm (85-97 in) with 47-56 cm (19-22 in) tail, 110-145 cm (43-57 in) shoulder height and weighs 175-385 kg (386-849 lb); Thick bodied with relatively short legs and an obtusely-shaped skull profile with a protruding forehead and a more recessed nose area;[8][27] broad stripes, horizontal on the rump, with northern populations having more extensive striping while populations further south have whiter legs and bellies and more brown "shadow" stripes. The snout is black.[8][28][30]

Eastern and southern Africa; savannahs, grasslands and open woodlands

6[12] or monotypic[16]

44

Mountain zebra ( Equus zebra)

Body length of 210-260 cm (83-102 in) with 40-55 cm (16-22 in) tail, 116-146 cm (46-57 in) shoulder height and weighs 204-430 kg (450-948 lb); eye sockets more circular and positioned farther back, a squarer nuchal crest, dewlap present under neck and compact hooves; stripes intermediate in width between the other species, with gridiron and horizontal stripes on the rump, while the belly is white and the black muzzle is lined with chestnut or orange[33][8][34]

Southwestern Africa; mountains, rocky uplands and Karoo shrubland[33][30]

2[33]

32

Fossil record

Fossil skull of Equus mauritanicus

In addition to the three living species, some fossil zebras and relatives have also been identified. Equus koobiforensis is an early equine basal to zebras found in the Shungura Formation, Ethiopia and the Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and dated to around 2.3 mya. E. oldowayensis is identified from remains in Olduvai Gorge dating to 1.8 mya. Fossil skulls of E. mauritanicus from Algeria which date to around 1 mya appears to show affinities with the plains zebra. , known as the Cape zebra, appeared around 2 mya and lived throughout southern and eastern Africa. Non-African equines that may have been basal to zebras include E. sansaniensis of Eurasia (circa 2.5 mya) and E. namadicus (circa 2.5 mya) and E. sivalensis (circa 2.0 mya) of the Indian subcontinent.

Hybridisation

Fertile hybrids have been reported in the wild between plains and Grévy's zebra. Hybridisation has also been recorded between the plains and mountain zebra, though it is possible that these are infertile due to the difference in chromosome numbers between the two species. Captive zebras have been bred with horses and donkeys; these are known as zebroids. A zorse is a cross between a zebra and a horse; a zonkey, between a zebra and a donkey; and a zoni, between a zebra and a pony. Zebroids are often born sterile with dwarfism.

Characteristics

As with all wild equines, zebra have barrel-chested bodies with tufted tails, elongated faces and long necks with long, erect manes. Their thin legs are each supported by a spade-shaped toe covered in a hard hoof. Their dentition is adapted for grazing; they have large incisors that clip grass blades and rough molars and premolars well suited for grinding. Males have spade-shaped canines, which can be used as weapons in fighting. The eyes of zebras are at the sides and far up the head, which allows them to look over the tall grass while feeding. Their moderately long, erect ears are movable and can locate the source of a sound.

Unlike horses, zebras and asses have chestnut callosities present only on their front legs. In contrast to other living equines, zebra have longer front legs than back legs. Diagnostic traits of the zebra skull include: its relatively small size with a straight dorsal outline, protruding eye sockets, narrower rostrum, less conspicuous postorbital bar, separation of the metaconid and metastylid of the tooth by a V-shaped canal and rounded enamel wall.

Zebras are easily recognised by their bold black-and-white striping patterns. The coat appears to be white with black stripes, as indicated by the belly and legs when unstriped, but the skin is black. Young or foals are born with brown and white coats, and the brown darkens with age. A dorsal line acts as the backbone for vertical stripes along the sides, from the head to the rump. On the snout they curve toward the nostrils, while the stripes above the front legs split into two branches. On the rump, they develop into species-specific patterns. The stripes on the legs, ears and tail are separate and horizontal.

Striping patterns are unique to an individual and heritable. During embryonic development, the stripes appear at eight months, but the patterns may be determined at three to five weeks. For each species there is a point in embryonic development where the stripes are perpendicular to the dorsal line and spaced 0.4 mm (0.016 in) apart. However, this happens at three weeks of development for the plains zebra, four weeks for the mountain zebra, and five for Grévy's zebra. The difference in timing is thought to be responsible for the differences in the striping patterns of the different species.

Various abnormalities of the patterns have been documented in plains zebras. In melanistic zebras, dark stripes are highly concentrated on the torso but the legs are whiter. "Spotted" individuals have broken up black stripes around the dorsal area. There have even been morphs with white spots on dark backgrounds. Striping abnormalities have been linked to inbreeding. Albino zebras have been recorded in the forests of Mount Kenya, with the dark stripes being blonde. The quagga had brown and white stripes on the head and neck, brown upper parts and a white belly, tail and legs.

The function of stripes in zebras has been discussed among biologists since at least the 19th century. Popular hypotheses include the following:

The crypsis hypothesis suggests that the stripes allow the animal to blend in with its environment or break out its outline so predators can not perceive it as a single entity. This was the earliest hypothesis and proponents argued that the stripes were particularly suited for camouflage in tall grassland and woodland habitat. Alfred Wallace also wrote in 1896 that stripes make zebras less noticeable at night. Zebras graze in open habitat and do not behave cryptically, being noisy, fast, and social. They do not freeze when detecting a predator. In addition, lions and hyenas do not appear to perceive the stripes when they are certain distance away during daytime, thus making the stripes useless in disrupting the outline. Stripes also do not appear to make zebras more difficult to find than more solidly coloured animals of similar size, and predators may still be able to detect them by scent or hearing. The camouflaging stripes of woodland living ungulates like bongos and bushbucks are much less vivid with less contrast with the background colour.[54] In addition, unlike tiger stripes, the spatial frequencies of zebra stripes do not line up with their environment.[55] A 2014 study of wild equine species and subspecies could not find any correlations between striping patterns and woodland habitats.[54] Zebras being less noticeable at night than other prey animals is not supported by modern experiments.

The confusion hypothesis states that the stripes confuse predators, be it by: making it harder to distinguish individuals in a group as well as determining the number of zebras in a group; making it difficult to determine an individual's outline when the group runs away; reducing a predator's ability to keep track of a target during a chase; dazzling an assailant so they have difficulty making contact; or making it difficult for a predator to deduce the zebra's size, speed and direction via motion dazzle. This theory has been proposed by several biologists since at least the 1970s. A 2014 computer study of zebra stripes found that they may create a wagon-wheel effect and/or barber pole illusion when in motion. The researchers concluded that this could be used against mammalian predators or biting flies.[58] The use of the stripes for confusing mammalian predators has been questioned. The stripes of zebras could make groups seem smaller, and thus more likely to be attacked. Zebras also tend to scatter when fleeing from attackers and thus the stripes could not break up an individual's outline. Lions, in particular, appear to have no difficulty targeting and catching zebras when they get close and take them by ambush. In addition, no correlations have been found between the amount of stripes and populations of mammal predators.[54] Hughes and colleagues (2021) concluded that solidly grey and less contrasted patterns are more likely to escape being caught when in motion.[60]

The aposematic hypothesis suggests that the stripes serve as warning colouration. This hypothesis was first suggested by Wallace in 1867 and discussed in more detail by Edward Bagnall Poulton in 1890. As with known aposematic mammals, zebras are recognisable up close, live in more open environments, have a high risk of predation and do not hide or act inconspicuous. However they are frequently preyed on by lions, suggesting that stripes do not work on them but may on smaller predators, and are not slow-moving enough to need to ward off threats. They also do not possess adequate defenses to back up the warning pattern.

The social function hypothesis states that stripes serve a role in intraspecific or individual recognition, social bonding, mutual grooming or a signal of fitness. Charles Darwin wrote in 1871 that "a female zebra would not admit the addresses of a male ass until he was painted so as to resemble a zebra" while Wallace stated in 1871 that: "The stripes therefore may be of use by enabling stragglers to distinguish their fellows at a distance". Regarding species and individual identification, zebras have limited range overlap with each other and horses can recognise each other using visual communication. In addition, no correlation has been found between striping and social behaviour or group numbers among equines,[54] and no link has been found between fitness and striping.

The thermoregulatory hypothesis suggests that stripes help to control a zebra's body temperature. In 1971, biologist H. A. Baldwin noted that heat would be absorbed by the black stripes and reflected by the white ones. In 1990, zoologist Desmond Morris suggested that the stripes create cooling convection currents. A 2019 study supported this, finding that where the faster air currents of the warmer black stripes meet those of the white, air swirls form. The researchers also concluded that during the hottest times of the day, zebras erect the black hair to release heat from the skin and flatten it to retain heat when it gets cooler.[65] Larison and colleagues (2015) determined that environmental temperature is a strong predictor for zebra striping patterns.[66] Others have found no evidence that zebras have lower body temperatures than other ungulates whose habitat they share, or that striping correlates with temperature.[54] A 2018 experimental study which dressed water-filled metal barrels in horse, zebra and cattle hides concluded that the zebra stripes had no effect on thermoregulation.[68]

Comparison of flight patterns and contact/landings of horse flies around domestic horses (a-c) and plains zebras (d-f).[69]

The fly protection hypothesis holds that the stripes deter blood-sucking flies. Horse flies, in particular, spread diseases that are lethal to equines such as African horse sickness, equine influenza, equine infectious anemia and trypanosomiasis. In addition, zebra hair is about as long as the mouthparts of these flies.[54] This hypothesis is the most strongly supported by the evidence.[69][70] It was found that flies preferred landing on solidly coloured surfaces over those with black-and-white striped patterns in 1930 by biologist R. Harris, and this was proposed to have been a function of zebra stripes in a 1981 study.[72] A 2014 study found a correlation between striping and overlap with horse and tsetse fly populations and activity.[54] Other studies have found that zebras are rarely targeted by these insect species. Caro and colleagues (2019) studied captive zebras and horses and observed that neither could deter flies from a distance, but zebra stripes kept flies from landing, both on zebras and horses dressed in zebra print coats.[69] There does not appear to be any difference in the effectiveness of repelling flies between the different zebra species; thus the difference in striping patterns may have evolved for other reasons.[70] White or light stripes painted on dark bodies have also been found to reduce fly irritations in both cattle and humans.[74][75] How the stripes repel flies is less clear.[70] A 2012 study concluded that they disrupt the polarised light patterns these insects use to locate water and habitat,[76] though subsequent studies have refuted this.[77][78][79] Stripes do not appear to work like a barber pole against flies since checkered patterns also repel them.[77][80] There is also little evidence that zebra stripes confuse the insects via aliasing.[77] Takács and colleagues (2022) suggest that, when the animal is in sunlight, temperature gradients between the warmer dark stripes and cooler white stripes prevent horseflies from detecting the warm blood vessels underneath.[78] Caro and colleagues (2023) conclude that the insects are confused by the high colour contrast and relative thinness of the patterns.[77]

Behaviour and ecology

Zebras may travel or migrate to wetter areas during the dry season. Plains zebras have been recorded travelling 500 km (310 mi) between Namibia and Botswana, the longest land migration of mammals in Africa. When migrating, they appear to rely on some memory of the locations where foraging conditions were best and may predict conditions months after their arrival. Plains zebras are more water-dependent and live in moister environments than other species. They usually can be found 10-12 km (6.2-7.5 mi) from a water source. Grévy's zebras can survive almost a week without water but will drink it every day when given the chance, and their bodies maintain water better than cattle. Mountain zebras can be found at elevations of up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft). Zebras sleep for seven hours a day, standing up during the day and lying down during the night. They regularly use various objects as rubbing posts and will roll on the ground.

Plains zebras at Okavango Delta, Botswana

A zebra's diet is mostly grasses and sedges, but they will opportunistically consume bark, leaves, buds, fruits, and roots. Compared to ruminants, zebras have a simpler and less efficient digestive system. Nevertheless, they can subsist on lower-quality vegetation. Zebras may spend 60-80% of their time feeding, depending on the availability of vegetation. The plains zebra is a pioneer grazer, mowing down the upper, less nutritious grass canopy and preparing the way for more specialised grazers, which depend on shorter and more nutritious grasses below.

Zebras are preyed on mainly by lions. Leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, brown hyenas and wild dogs pose less of a threat to adults. Nile crocodiles also prey on zebras when they near water. Biting and kicking are a zebra's defense tactics. When threatened by lions, zebras flee, and when caught they are rarely effective in fighting off the big cats. In one study, the maximum speed of a zebra was found to be 50 km/h (31 mph) while a lion was measured at 74 km/h (46 mph). Zebras do not escape lions by speed alone but by sideways turning, especially when the cat is close behind. With smaller predators like hyenas and dogs, zebras may act more aggressively, especially in defense of their young.

Social behaviour

Zebra species have two basic social structures. Plains and mountain zebras live in stable, closed family groups or harems consisting of one stallion, several mares, and their offspring. These groups have their own home ranges, which overlap, and they tend to be nomadic. Stallions form and expand their harems by recruiting young mares from their natal (birth) harems. The stability of the group remains even when the family stallion is displaced. Plains zebras groups gather into large herds and may create temporarily stable subgroups within a herd, allowing individuals to interact with those outside their group. Females in harems can spend more time feeding, and gain protection both for them and their young. The females have a linear dominance hierarchy with the high-ranking females being the ones that have lived in the group longest. While traveling, the most dominant females and their offspring lead the group, followed by the next most dominant. The family stallion trails behind. Young of both sexes leave their natal groups as they mature; females are usually herded by outside males to become part of their harems.

In the more arid-living Grévy's zebras, adults have more fluid associations and adult males establish large territories, marked by dung piles, and mate with the females that enter them. Grazing and drinking areas tend to be separated in these environments and the most dominant males establish territories near watering holes, which attract females with dependent foals and those who simply want a drink, while less dominant males control territories away from water with more vegetation, and only attract mares without foals. Mares may travel through several territories but remain in one when they have young. Staying in a territory offers a female protection from harassment by outside males, as well as access to resources.

In all species, excess males gather in bachelor groups. These are typically young males that are not yet ready to establish a harem or territory. With the plains zebra, the oldest males are the most dominant and group membership is stable. Bachelor groups tend to be at the boundaries of herds and during group movements, the bachelors follow behind or along the sides. Mountain zebra bachelor groups may also include young females that have left their natal group early, as well as old, former harem males. A territorial Grévy's zebra stallion may allow non-territorial bachelors in their territory, however when a mare in oestrous is present the territorial stallion keeps other stallions at bay. Bachelors prepare for their future harem roles with play fights and greeting/challenge rituals, which make up most of their activities.

Fights between males usually occur over mates and involve biting and kicking. In plains zebra, stallions fight each other over recently matured mares to bring into their group and her family stallion will fight off other males trying to abduct her. As long as a harem stallion is healthy, he is not usually challenged. Only unhealthy stallions have their harems taken over, and even then, the new stallion slowly takes over, peacefully displacing the old one. Agonistic behaviour between male Grévy's zebras occurs at the border of their territories.

Communication

Zebras produce a number of vocalisations and noises. The plains zebra has a distinctive, barking contact call heard as "a- ha, a- ha, a- ha" or "kwa-ha, kaw-ha, ha, ha". The mountain zebra may produce a similar sound while the call of the Grévy's zebra has been described as "something like a hippo's grunt combined with a donkey's wheeze". Loud snorting and rough "gasping" in zebras signals alarm. Squealing is usually made when in pain, but can also be heard in friendly interactions. Zebras also communicate with visual displays, and the flexibility of their lips allows them to make complex facial expressions. Visual displays also consist of head, ear, and tail postures. A zebra may signal an intention to kick by dropping back its ears and whipping its tail. Flattened ears, bared teeth and a waving head may be used as threatening gestures by stallions.

Individuals may greet each other by rubbing and sniffing and then mutually rub their cheeks, and move along their bodies towards each other's genitals to sniff. They then may caress their shoulders against each other and lay their heads on one another. This greeting usually occurs between harem or territorial males or among bachelor males playing. Plains and mountain zebras strengthen their social bonds with grooming. Members of a harem nibble and rake along the neck, shoulder, and back with their teeth and lips. Grooming usually occurs between mothers and foals and between stallions and mares. Grooming establishes social rank and eases aggressive behaviour, although Grévy's zebras generally do not perform social grooming.

Reproduction and parenting

Among plains and mountain zebras, the adult females mate only with their harem stallion, while in Grévy's zebras, mating is more promiscuous and the males have larger testes for sperm competition. Female zebras have five to ten day long oestrous cycles; physical signs include a swollen, everted (inside out) labia and copious flows of urine and mucus. Among reaching peak oestrous, mares spread-out their legs, lift their tails and open their mouths when in the presence of a male. Males assess the female's reproductive state with a curled lip and bared teeth ( flehmen response) and the female will solicit mating by backing in. Gestation is typically around a year. A few days to a month later, mares can return to oestrus. In harem-holding species, oestrus in a female becomes less noticeable to outside males as she gets older, hence competition for older females is virtually nonexistent.

Usually, a single foal is born, which is capable of running within an hour of birth. A newborn zebra will follow anything that moves, so new mothers prevent other mares from approaching their foals as they become more familiar with the mother's striping pattern, smell and voice. At a few weeks old, foals begin to graze, but may continue to nurse for eight to thirteen months. Living in an arid environment, Grévy's zebras have longer nursing intervals and young only begin to drink water three months after birth.

In plains and mountain zebras, foals are cared for mostly by their mothers, but if threatened by pack-hunting hyenas and dogs, the entire group works together to protect all the young. The group forms a protective front with the foals in the centre, and the stallion will rush at predators that come too close. In Grévy's zebras, young stay in " kindergartens" when their mothers leave for water. These groups are tended to by the territorial male. A stallion may look after a foal in his territory to ensure that the mother stays, though it may not be his. By contrast, plains zebra stallions are generally intolerant of foals that are not theirs and may practice infanticide and feticide via violence to the pregnant mare.

Human relations

Cultural significance

With their distinctive black-and-white stripes, zebras are among the most recognisable mammals. They have been associated with beauty and grace, with naturalist Thomas Pennant describing them in 1781 as "the most elegant of quadrupeds". Zebras have been popular in photography, with some wildlife photographers describing them as the most photogenic animal. They have become staples in children's stories and wildlife-themed art, such as depictions of Noah's Ark. In children's alphabet books, the animals are often used to represent the letter 'Z'. Zebra stripe patterns are popularly used for body paintings, dress, furniture and architecture.

Zebras have been featured in African art and culture for millennia. They are depicted in rock art in Southern Africa dating from 28,000 to 20,000 years ago, though less often than antelope species like eland. How the zebra got its stripes has been the subject of folk tales, some of which involve it being scorched by fire. The Maasai proverb "a man without culture is like a zebra without stripes" has become popular in Africa. The San people connected zebra stripes with water, rain and lighting, and water spirits were conceived of having these markings.

For the Shona people, the zebra is a totem animal and is glorified in a poem as an "iridescent and glittering creature". Its stripes have symbolised the union of male and female and at the ruined city of Great Zimbabwe, zebra stripes decorate what is believed to be a domba, a school meant to prepare girls for adulthood. In the Shona language, the name madhuve means "woman/women of the zebra totem" and is a name for girls in Zimbabwe. The plains zebra is the national animal of Botswana and zebras have been depicted on stamps during colonial and post-colonial Africa. For people of the African diaspora, the zebra represented the politics of race and identity, being both black and white.

In cultures outside of its range, the zebra has been thought of as a more exotic alternative to the horse; the comic book character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, is depicted riding a zebra and explorer Osa Johnson was photographed riding one. The film Racing Stripes features a captive zebra ostracised from the horses and ends up being ridden by a rebellious girl. Zebras have been featured as characters in animated films like , The Lion King and the Madagascar films and television series such as .

Zebras have been popular subjects for abstract, modernist and surrealist artists. Such art includes Christopher Wood's Zebra and Parachute, Lucian Freud's The Painter's Room and Quince on a Blue Table and the various paintings of Mary Fedden and Sidney Nolan. Victor Vasarely depicted zebras as black and white lines and connected in a jigsaw puzzle fashion. Carel Weight's Escape of the Zebra from the Zoo during an Air Raid was based on a real life incident of a zebra escaping during the bombing of London Zoo and consists of four comic book-like panels. Zebras have lent themselves to products and advertisements, notably for 'Zebra Grate Polish' cleaning supplies by British manufacturer Reckitt and Sons and Japanese pen manufacturer Zebra Co., Ltd.

Zebra (1763) by George Stubbs. A portrait of Queen Charlotte's zebra

Zebras have been kept in captivity since at least the Roman Empire. In later times, captive zebras have been shipped around the world, often for diplomatic reasons. In 1261, Sultan Baibars of Egypt established an embassy with Alfonso X of Castile and sent a zebra and other exotic animals as gifts. In 1417, a zebra was gifted to the Chinese people by Somalia and displayed before the Yongle Emperor. The fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir received a zebra from Ethiopia in 1620 and Ustad Mansur made a painting of it. In the 1670s, Ethiopian Emperor Yohannes I exported two zebras to the Dutch governor of Jakarta. These animals would eventually be given by the Dutch to the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan.

When Queen Charlotte received a zebra as a wedding gift in 1762, the animal became a source of fascination for the people of Britain. Many flocked to see it at its paddock at Buckingham Palace. It soon became the subject of humour and satire, being referred to as "The Queen's Ass", and was the subject of an oil painting by George Stubbs in 1763. The zebra also gained a reputation for being ill-tempered and kicked at visitors. In 1882, Ethiopia sent a zebra to French president Jules Grévy, and the species it belonged to was named in his honour.

Attempts to domesticate zebras were largely unsuccessful. It is possible that having evolved under pressure from the many large predators of Africa, including early humans, they became more aggressive, thus making domestication more difficult. However, zebras have been trained throughout history. In Rome, zebras are recorded to have pulled chariots during amphitheatre games starting in the reign of Caracalla (198 to 217 AD). In the late 19th century, the zoologist Walter Rothschild trained some zebras to draw a carriage in England, which he drove to Buckingham Palace to demonstrate that it can be done. However, he did not ride on them knowing that they were too small and aggressive. In the early 20th century, German colonial officers in East Africa tried to use zebras for both driving and riding, with limited success.

Conservation

As of 2016-2019, the IUCN Red List of mammals lists the Grévy's zebra as endangered, the mountain zebra as vulnerable and the plains zebra as near-threatened. Grévy's zebra populations are estimated at less than 2,000 mature individuals, but they are stable. Mountain zebras number near 35,000 individuals and their population appears to be increasing. Plains zebra are estimated to number 150,000-250,000 with a decreasing population trend. Human intervention has fragmented zebra ranges and populations. Zebras are threatened by hunting for their hide and meat, and habitat destruction. They also compete with livestock and have their travelling routes obstruct by fences. Civil wars in some countries have also caused declines in zebra populations. By the early 20th century, zebra skins were being used to make rugs and chairs. In the 21st century, zebras may be taken by trophy hunters as zebra skin rugs sell for $1,000 to $2,000. Trophy hunting was rare among African peoples though the San were known to hunt zebra for meat.

The quagga ( E. quagga quagga) population was hunted by early Dutch settlers and later by Afrikaners to provide meat or for their skins. The skins were traded or used locally. The quagga was probably vulnerable to extinction due to its restricted range, and because they were easy to find in large groups. The last known wild quagga died in 1878. The last captive quagga, a female in Amsterdam's Natura Artis Magistra zoo, lived there from 9 May 1867 until it died on 12 August 1883. The Cape mountain zebra, a subspecies of mountain zebra, nearly went extinct due to hunting and habitat destruction, with less than 50 individuals left by the 1950s. Protections from South African National Parks allowed the population to rise to 2,600 by the 2010s.

Zebras can be found in numerous protected areas. Important areas for the Grévy's zebra include Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary and Chelbi Sanctuary in Ethiopia and Buffalo Springs, Samburu and Shaba National Reserves in Kenya. The plains zebra inhabits the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, Tsavo and Masai Mara in Kenya, Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, Etosha National Park in Namibia, and Kruger National Park in South Africa. Mountain zebras are protected in Mountain Zebra National Park, Karoo National Park and Goegap Nature Reserve in South Africa as well as Etosha and Namib-Naukluft Park in Namibia.

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Churcher, C. S. (2006). "Distribution and history of the Cape zebra (Equus capensis) in the Quarternary of Africa". Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 61 (2): 89-95. doi:10.1080/00359190609519957. S2CID 84203907.

^ Eisenmann, V. (2008). "Pliocene and Pleistocene equids: palaeontology versus molecular biology". Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg. 256: 71-89.

^ Giel, E.-M.; Bar-David, S.; Beja-Pereira, A.; Cothern, E. G.; Giulotto, E.; Hrabar, H.; Oyunsuren, T.; Pruvost, M. (2016). "Genetics and Paleogenetics of Equids". In Ransom, J. I.; Kaczensky, P. (eds.). Wild Equids: Ecology, Management, and Conservation. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 99. ISBN 978-1-4214-1909-1.

^ Bittel, Jason (19 June 2015). "Hold Your Zorses: The sad truth about animal hybrids". Slate.com.

^ Badam, G. L.; Tewari, B. S. (1974). "On the zebrine affinities of the Pleistocene horse Equus sivalensis, falconer and cautley". Bulletin of the Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute. 34 (1/4): 7-11. JSTOR 42931011.

Larison, Brenda; Kaelin, Christopher B.; Harrigan, Ryan; et al. (2020). "Population structure, inbreeding and stripe pattern abnormalities in plains zebras". Molecular Ecology. 30 (2): 379-390. doi:10.1111/mec.15728. PMID 33174253. S2CID 226305574.

^ Godfrey, D.; Lythgoe, J. N.; Rumball, D. A. (1987). "Zebra stripes and tiger stripes: the spatial frequency distribution of the pattern compared to that of the background is significant in display and crypsis". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 32 (4): 427-433. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.1987.tb00442.x.

^ Larison, Brenda; Harrigan, Ryan J.; Thomassen, Henri A.; Rubenstein, Daniel I.; Chan-Golston, Alec M.; Li, Elizabeth; Smith, Thomas B. (2015). "How the zebra got its stripes: a problem with too many solutions". Royal Society Open Science. 2 (1): 140452. Bibcode:2015RSOS....240452L. doi:10.1098/rsos.140452. PMC . PMID 26064590.

^ Waage, J. K. (1981). "How the zebra got its stripes - biting flies as selective agents in the evolution of zebra coloration". Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa. 44 (2): 351-358. hdl:10520/AJA00128789_3800.

^ Kojima, T.; Oishi, K.; Matsubara, Y.; Uchiyama, Y.; Fukushima, Y. (2020). "Cows painted with zebra-like striping can avoid biting fly attack". PLOS ONE. 15 (3): e0231183. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231183. PMC . PMID 32214400.

^ Egri, Ádám; Blahó, Miklós; Kriska, György; Farkas, Róbert; Gyurkovszky, Mónika; Åkesson, Susanne; Horváth, Gábor (2012). "Polarotactic tabanids find striped patterns with brightness and/or polarization modulation least attractive: an advantage of zebra stripes". Journal of Experimental Biology. 215 (5): 736-745. doi:10.1242/jeb.065540. PMID 22323196.

^ Caro, T; Fogg, E; Stephens-Collins, T; Santon, M; How, M. J. (2023). "Why don't horseflies land on zebras?". Journal of Experimental Biology. 226 (4): jeb244778. doi:10.1242/jeb.244778. PMC . PMID 36700395. S2CID 256273744.

^ Naidoo, R.; Chase, M. J.; Beytall, P.; Du Preez, P. (2016). "A newly discovered wildlife migration in Namibia and Botswana is the longest in Africa". Oryx. 50 (1): 138-146. doi:10.1017/S0030605314000222.

^ Youth, H. (November-December 2004). "Thin stripes on a thin line". Zoogoer. 33. Archived from the original on 26 October 2005.

^ Pastor, J.; Cohen, U.; Hobbs, T. (2006). "The roles of large herbivores in ecosystem nutrient cycles". In Danell, K. (ed.). Large Herbivore Ecology, Ecosystem Dynamics and Conservation. Cambridge University Press. p. 295. ISBN 978-0-521-53687-5.

^ Wilson, A.; Hubel, T.; Wilshin, S.; et al. (2018). "Biomechanics of predator-prey arms race in lion, zebra, cheetah and impala" (PDF). Nature. 554 (7691): 183-188. Bibcode:2018Natur.554..183W. doi:10.1038/nature25479. PMID 29364874. S2CID 4405091.

Rubenstein, D. I. (2010). "Ecology, social behavior, and conservation in zebras". In Macedo, R.; Wrangham (eds.). Behavioral Ecology of Tropical Animals (PDF). Academic Press. pp. 231-258. ISBN 978-0123808943.

^ Sundaresan, S. R.; Fischhoff, I. R.; Rubenstein, D. (2007). "Male harassment influences female movements and associations in Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi)" (PDF). Behavioral Ecology. 18 (5): 860-65. doi:10.1093/beheco/arm055.

^ Ginsberg, R; Rubenstein, D. I. (1990). "Sperm competition and variation in zebra mating behavior" (PDF). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 26 (6): 427-434. doi:10.1007/BF00170901. S2CID 206771095.

^ Pluháček, J; Bartos, L (2005). "Further evidence for male infanticide and feticide in captive plains zebra, Equus burchelli" (PDF). Folia Zoologica-Praha. 54 (3): 258-262.

Rubenstein, D.; Low Mackey, B.; Davidson, Z. D.; Kebede, F.; King, S. R. B. (2016). "Equus grevyi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016.

Gosling, L. M.; Muntifering, J.; Kolberg, H.; Uiseb, K.; King, S. R. B. (2016). "Equus zebra". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016.

^ Hack, Mace A.; East, Rod; Rubenstein, Dan J. (2002). "Status and Action Plan for the Plains Zebra (Equus burchelli)". In Moehlman, P. D. (ed.). Equids. Zebras, Asses and Horses. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN/SSC Equid Specialist Group. IUCN. p. 51. ISBN 978-2-8317-0647-4.

^ Van Bruggen, A. C. (1959). "Illustrated notes on some extinct South African ungulates". South African Journal of Science. 55: 197-200.

^ Hamunyela, Elly (27 March 2017). "The status of Namibia's Hartmann's zebra". Travel News Namibia.

General bibliography

External links

The Quagga Project-An organisation that selectively breeds zebras to recreate the hair coat pattern of the quagga

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Zebras (, ) (subgenus Hippotigris ) are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra ( Equus grevyi), plains zebra ( E. quagga), and the mountain zebra ( E. zebra). Zebras share the genus with horses and asses, the three groups being the only living members of the family Equidae.

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Lots and Lots of Zebra Stripes (Ready Read Alouds)

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Baby lion playing with his lion mom. The cutest thing you've ever seen 😍 - Erindi, Namibia

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Kangaroos Read Aloud Part 1 (non-fiction)

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Read Aloud

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Wikepedia Description

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Zebras (, ) (subgenus Hippotigris) are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra ( Equus grevyi), plains zebra ( E. quagga), and the mountain zebra ( E. zebra). Zebras share the genus with horses and asses, the three groups being the only living members of the family Equidae. Zebra stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual. Several theories have been proposed for the function of these stripes, with most evidence supporting them as a deterrent for biting flies. Zebras inhabit eastern and southern Africa and can be found in a variety of habitats such as savannahs, grasslands, woodlands, shrublands, and mountainous areas.

Zebras are primarily grazers and can subsist on lower-quality vegetation. They are preyed on mainly by lions, and typically flee when threatened but also bite and kick. Zebra species differ in social behaviour, with plains and mountain zebra living in stable harems consisting of an adult male or stallion, several adult females or mares, and their young or foals; while Grévy's zebra live alone or in loosely associated herds. In harem-holding species, adult females mate only with their harem stallion, while male Grévy's zebras establish territories which attract females and the species is promiscuous. Zebras communicate with various vocalisations, body postures and facial expressions. Social grooming strengthens social bonds in plains and mountain zebras.

Zebras' dazzling stripes make them among the most recognisable mammals. They have been featured in art and stories in Africa and beyond. Historically, they have been highly sought after by exotic animal collectors, but unlike horses and donkeys, zebras have never been truly domesticated. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Grévy's zebra as endangered, the mountain zebra as vulnerable and the plains zebra as near-threatened. The quagga ( E. quagga quagga), a type of plains zebra, was driven to extinction in the 19th century. Nevertheless, zebras can be found in numerous protected areas.

The English name "zebra" derives from Italian, Spanish or Portuguese. Its origins may lie in the Latin equiferus, meaning "wild horse". Equiferus appears to have entered into Portuguese as ezebro or zebro, which was originally used for a legendary equine in the wilds of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. In 1591, Italian explorer Filippo Pigafetta recorded "zebra" being used to refer to the African animals by Portuguese visitors to the continent. In ancient times, the African zebra was called hippotigris ("horse tiger") by the Greeks and Romans.

The word zebra was traditionally pronounced with a long initial vowel, but over the course of the 20th century the pronunciation with the short initial vowel became the norm in British English. The pronunciation with a long initial vowel remains standard in American English.

Zebras are classified in the genus (known as equines) along with horses and asses. These three groups are the only living members of the family Equidae. The plains zebra and mountain zebra were traditionally placed in the subgenus Hippotigris (C. H. Smith, 1841) in contrast to the Grévy's zebra which was considered the sole species of subgenus Dolichohippus (Heller, 1912). Groves and Bell (2004) placed all three species in the subgenus Hippotigris. A 2013 phylogenetic study found that the plains zebra is more closely related to Grévy's zebras than mountain zebras. The extinct quagga was originally classified as a distinct species. Later genetic studies have placed it as the same species as the plains zebra, either a subspecies or just the southernmost population. Molecular evidence supports zebras as a monophyletic lineage.

Equus originated in North America and direct paleogenomic sequencing of a 700,000-year-old middle Pleistocene horse metapodial bone from Canada implies a date of 4.07 million years ago (mya) for the most recent common ancestor of the equines within the range of 4.0 to 4.5 mya. Horses split from asses and zebras around this time and equines colonised Eurasia and Africa around 2.1-3.4 mya. Zebras and asses diverged from each other close to 2 mya. The mountain zebra diverged from the other species around 1.6 mya and the plains and Grévy's zebra split 1.4 mya.

A 2017 mitochondrial DNA study placed the Eurasian Equus ovodovi and the subgenus Sussemionus lineage as closer to zebras than to asses. However, other studies disputed this placement, finding the Sussemionus lineage basal to the zebra+asses group, but suggested that the Sussemionus lineage may have received gene flow from zebras.

The cladogram of Equus below is based on Vilstrup and colleagues (2013) and Jónsson and colleagues (2014):

Extant species

Name

Description

Distribution

Subspecies

Chromosomes

Image

Grévy's zebra ( Equus grevyi)

Body length of 250-300 cm (98-118 in) with 38-75 cm (15-30 in) tail, 125-160 cm (4.10-5.25 ft) shoulder height and weighs 352-450 kg (776-992 lb); Thin, elongated skull, robust neck and conical ears; narrow striping pattern with concentric rump stripes, white belly and tail base and white line around the ashy muzzle[8][24]

Eastern Africa including the Horn;[24] arid and semiarid grasslands and shrublands

Monotypic[24]

46

Plains zebra ( Equus quagga)

Body length of 217-246 cm (85-97 in) with 47-56 cm (19-22 in) tail, 110-145 cm (43-57 in) shoulder height and weighs 175-385 kg (386-849 lb); Thick bodied with relatively short legs and an obtusely-shaped skull profile with a protruding forehead and a more recessed nose area;[8][27] broad stripes, horizontal on the rump, with northern populations having more extensive striping while populations further south have whiter legs and bellies and more brown "shadow" stripes. The snout is black.[8][28][30]

Eastern and southern Africa; savannahs, grasslands and open woodlands

6[12] or monotypic[16]

44

Mountain zebra ( Equus zebra)

Body length of 210-260 cm (83-102 in) with 40-55 cm (16-22 in) tail, 116-146 cm (46-57 in) shoulder height and weighs 204-430 kg (450-948 lb); eye sockets more circular and positioned farther back, a squarer nuchal crest, dewlap present under neck and compact hooves; stripes intermediate in width between the other species, with gridiron and horizontal stripes on the rump, while the belly is white and the black muzzle is lined with chestnut or orange[33][8][34]

Southwestern Africa; mountains, rocky uplands and Karoo shrubland[33][30]

2[33]

32

Fossil record

Fossil skull of Equus mauritanicus

In addition to the three living species, some fossil zebras and relatives have also been identified. Equus koobiforensis is an early equine basal to zebras found in the Shungura Formation, Ethiopia and the Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and dated to around 2.3 mya. E. oldowayensis is identified from remains in Olduvai Gorge dating to 1.8 mya. Fossil skulls of E. mauritanicus from Algeria which date to around 1 mya appears to show affinities with the plains zebra. , known as the Cape zebra, appeared around 2 mya and lived throughout southern and eastern Africa. Non-African equines that may have been basal to zebras include E. sansaniensis of Eurasia (circa 2.5 mya) and E. namadicus (circa 2.5 mya) and E. sivalensis (circa 2.0 mya) of the Indian subcontinent.

Hybridisation

Fertile hybrids have been reported in the wild between plains and Grévy's zebra. Hybridisation has also been recorded between the plains and mountain zebra, though it is possible that these are infertile due to the difference in chromosome numbers between the two species. Captive zebras have been bred with horses and donkeys; these are known as zebroids. A zorse is a cross between a zebra and a horse; a zonkey, between a zebra and a donkey; and a zoni, between a zebra and a pony. Zebroids are often born sterile with dwarfism.

Characteristics

As with all wild equines, zebra have barrel-chested bodies with tufted tails, elongated faces and long necks with long, erect manes. Their thin legs are each supported by a spade-shaped toe covered in a hard hoof. Their dentition is adapted for grazing; they have large incisors that clip grass blades and rough molars and premolars well suited for grinding. Males have spade-shaped canines, which can be used as weapons in fighting. The eyes of zebras are at the sides and far up the head, which allows them to look over the tall grass while feeding. Their moderately long, erect ears are movable and can locate the source of a sound.

Unlike horses, zebras and asses have chestnut callosities present only on their front legs. In contrast to other living equines, zebra have longer front legs than back legs. Diagnostic traits of the zebra skull include: its relatively small size with a straight dorsal outline, protruding eye sockets, narrower rostrum, less conspicuous postorbital bar, separation of the metaconid and metastylid of the tooth by a V-shaped canal and rounded enamel wall.

Zebras are easily recognised by their bold black-and-white striping patterns. The coat appears to be white with black stripes, as indicated by the belly and legs when unstriped, but the skin is black. Young or foals are born with brown and white coats, and the brown darkens with age. A dorsal line acts as the backbone for vertical stripes along the sides, from the head to the rump. On the snout they curve toward the nostrils, while the stripes above the front legs split into two branches. On the rump, they develop into species-specific patterns. The stripes on the legs, ears and tail are separate and horizontal.

Striping patterns are unique to an individual and heritable. During embryonic development, the stripes appear at eight months, but the patterns may be determined at three to five weeks. For each species there is a point in embryonic development where the stripes are perpendicular to the dorsal line and spaced 0.4 mm (0.016 in) apart. However, this happens at three weeks of development for the plains zebra, four weeks for the mountain zebra, and five for Grévy's zebra. The difference in timing is thought to be responsible for the differences in the striping patterns of the different species.

Various abnormalities of the patterns have been documented in plains zebras. In melanistic zebras, dark stripes are highly concentrated on the torso but the legs are whiter. "Spotted" individuals have broken up black stripes around the dorsal area. There have even been morphs with white spots on dark backgrounds. Striping abnormalities have been linked to inbreeding. Albino zebras have been recorded in the forests of Mount Kenya, with the dark stripes being blonde. The quagga had brown and white stripes on the head and neck, brown upper parts and a white belly, tail and legs.

The function of stripes in zebras has been discussed among biologists since at least the 19th century. Popular hypotheses include the following:

The crypsis hypothesis suggests that the stripes allow the animal to blend in with its environment or break out its outline so predators can not perceive it as a single entity. This was the earliest hypothesis and proponents argued that the stripes were particularly suited for camouflage in tall grassland and woodland habitat. Alfred Wallace also wrote in 1896 that stripes make zebras less noticeable at night. Zebras graze in open habitat and do not behave cryptically, being noisy, fast, and social. They do not freeze when detecting a predator. In addition, lions and hyenas do not appear to perceive the stripes when they are certain distance away during daytime, thus making the stripes useless in disrupting the outline. Stripes also do not appear to make zebras more difficult to find than more solidly coloured animals of similar size, and predators may still be able to detect them by scent or hearing. The camouflaging stripes of woodland living ungulates like bongos and bushbucks are much less vivid with less contrast with the background colour.[54] In addition, unlike tiger stripes, the spatial frequencies of zebra stripes do not line up with their environment.[55] A 2014 study of wild equine species and subspecies could not find any correlations between striping patterns and woodland habitats.[54] Zebras being less noticeable at night than other prey animals is not supported by modern experiments.

The confusion hypothesis states that the stripes confuse predators, be it by: making it harder to distinguish individuals in a group as well as determining the number of zebras in a group; making it difficult to determine an individual's outline when the group runs away; reducing a predator's ability to keep track of a target during a chase; dazzling an assailant so they have difficulty making contact; or making it difficult for a predator to deduce the zebra's size, speed and direction via motion dazzle. This theory has been proposed by several biologists since at least the 1970s. A 2014 computer study of zebra stripes found that they may create a wagon-wheel effect and/or barber pole illusion when in motion. The researchers concluded that this could be used against mammalian predators or biting flies.[58] The use of the stripes for confusing mammalian predators has been questioned. The stripes of zebras could make groups seem smaller, and thus more likely to be attacked. Zebras also tend to scatter when fleeing from attackers and thus the stripes could not break up an individual's outline. Lions, in particular, appear to have no difficulty targeting and catching zebras when they get close and take them by ambush. In addition, no correlations have been found between the amount of stripes and populations of mammal predators.[54] Hughes and colleagues (2021) concluded that solidly grey and less contrasted patterns are more likely to escape being caught when in motion.[60]

The aposematic hypothesis suggests that the stripes serve as warning colouration. This hypothesis was first suggested by Wallace in 1867 and discussed in more detail by Edward Bagnall Poulton in 1890. As with known aposematic mammals, zebras are recognisable up close, live in more open environments, have a high risk of predation and do not hide or act inconspicuous. However they are frequently preyed on by lions, suggesting that stripes do not work on them but may on smaller predators, and are not slow-moving enough to need to ward off threats. They also do not possess adequate defenses to back up the warning pattern.

The social function hypothesis states that stripes serve a role in intraspecific or individual recognition, social bonding, mutual grooming or a signal of fitness. Charles Darwin wrote in 1871 that "a female zebra would not admit the addresses of a male ass until he was painted so as to resemble a zebra" while Wallace stated in 1871 that: "The stripes therefore may be of use by enabling stragglers to distinguish their fellows at a distance". Regarding species and individual identification, zebras have limited range overlap with each other and horses can recognise each other using visual communication. In addition, no correlation has been found between striping and social behaviour or group numbers among equines,[54] and no link has been found between fitness and striping.

The thermoregulatory hypothesis suggests that stripes help to control a zebra's body temperature. In 1971, biologist H. A. Baldwin noted that heat would be absorbed by the black stripes and reflected by the white ones. In 1990, zoologist Desmond Morris suggested that the stripes create cooling convection currents. A 2019 study supported this, finding that where the faster air currents of the warmer black stripes meet those of the white, air swirls form. The researchers also concluded that during the hottest times of the day, zebras erect the black hair to release heat from the skin and flatten it to retain heat when it gets cooler.[65] Larison and colleagues (2015) determined that environmental temperature is a strong predictor for zebra striping patterns.[66] Others have found no evidence that zebras have lower body temperatures than other ungulates whose habitat they share, or that striping correlates with temperature.[54] A 2018 experimental study which dressed water-filled metal barrels in horse, zebra and cattle hides concluded that the zebra stripes had no effect on thermoregulation.[68]

Comparison of flight patterns and contact/landings of horse flies around domestic horses (a-c) and plains zebras (d-f).[69]

The fly protection hypothesis holds that the stripes deter blood-sucking flies. Horse flies, in particular, spread diseases that are lethal to equines such as African horse sickness, equine influenza, equine infectious anemia and trypanosomiasis. In addition, zebra hair is about as long as the mouthparts of these flies.[54] This hypothesis is the most strongly supported by the evidence.[69][70] It was found that flies preferred landing on solidly coloured surfaces over those with black-and-white striped patterns in 1930 by biologist R. Harris, and this was proposed to have been a function of zebra stripes in a 1981 study.[72] A 2014 study found a correlation between striping and overlap with horse and tsetse fly populations and activity.[54] Other studies have found that zebras are rarely targeted by these insect species. Caro and colleagues (2019) studied captive zebras and horses and observed that neither could deter flies from a distance, but zebra stripes kept flies from landing, both on zebras and horses dressed in zebra print coats.[69] There does not appear to be any difference in the effectiveness of repelling flies between the different zebra species; thus the difference in striping patterns may have evolved for other reasons.[70] White or light stripes painted on dark bodies have also been found to reduce fly irritations in both cattle and humans.[74][75] How the stripes repel flies is less clear.[70] A 2012 study concluded that they disrupt the polarised light patterns these insects use to locate water and habitat,[76] though subsequent studies have refuted this.[77][78][79] Stripes do not appear to work like a barber pole against flies since checkered patterns also repel them.[77][80] There is also little evidence that zebra stripes confuse the insects via aliasing.[77] Takács and colleagues (2022) suggest that, when the animal is in sunlight, temperature gradients between the warmer dark stripes and cooler white stripes prevent horseflies from detecting the warm blood vessels underneath.[78] Caro and colleagues (2023) conclude that the insects are confused by the high colour contrast and relative thinness of the patterns.[77]

Behaviour and ecology

Zebras may travel or migrate to wetter areas during the dry season. Plains zebras have been recorded travelling 500 km (310 mi) between Namibia and Botswana, the longest land migration of mammals in Africa. When migrating, they appear to rely on some memory of the locations where foraging conditions were best and may predict conditions months after their arrival. Plains zebras are more water-dependent and live in moister environments than other species. They usually can be found 10-12 km (6.2-7.5 mi) from a water source. Grévy's zebras can survive almost a week without water but will drink it every day when given the chance, and their bodies maintain water better than cattle. Mountain zebras can be found at elevations of up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft). Zebras sleep for seven hours a day, standing up during the day and lying down during the night. They regularly use various objects as rubbing posts and will roll on the ground.

Plains zebras at Okavango Delta, Botswana

A zebra's diet is mostly grasses and sedges, but they will opportunistically consume bark, leaves, buds, fruits, and roots. Compared to ruminants, zebras have a simpler and less efficient digestive system. Nevertheless, they can subsist on lower-quality vegetation. Zebras may spend 60-80% of their time feeding, depending on the availability of vegetation. The plains zebra is a pioneer grazer, mowing down the upper, less nutritious grass canopy and preparing the way for more specialised grazers, which depend on shorter and more nutritious grasses below.

Zebras are preyed on mainly by lions. Leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, brown hyenas and wild dogs pose less of a threat to adults. Nile crocodiles also prey on zebras when they near water. Biting and kicking are a zebra's defense tactics. When threatened by lions, zebras flee, and when caught they are rarely effective in fighting off the big cats. In one study, the maximum speed of a zebra was found to be 50 km/h (31 mph) while a lion was measured at 74 km/h (46 mph). Zebras do not escape lions by speed alone but by sideways turning, especially when the cat is close behind. With smaller predators like hyenas and dogs, zebras may act more aggressively, especially in defense of their young.

Social behaviour

Zebra species have two basic social structures. Plains and mountain zebras live in stable, closed family groups or harems consisting of one stallion, several mares, and their offspring. These groups have their own home ranges, which overlap, and they tend to be nomadic. Stallions form and expand their harems by recruiting young mares from their natal (birth) harems. The stability of the group remains even when the family stallion is displaced. Plains zebras groups gather into large herds and may create temporarily stable subgroups within a herd, allowing individuals to interact with those outside their group. Females in harems can spend more time feeding, and gain protection both for them and their young. The females have a linear dominance hierarchy with the high-ranking females being the ones that have lived in the group longest. While traveling, the most dominant females and their offspring lead the group, followed by the next most dominant. The family stallion trails behind. Young of both sexes leave their natal groups as they mature; females are usually herded by outside males to become part of their harems.

In the more arid-living Grévy's zebras, adults have more fluid associations and adult males establish large territories, marked by dung piles, and mate with the females that enter them. Grazing and drinking areas tend to be separated in these environments and the most dominant males establish territories near watering holes, which attract females with dependent foals and those who simply want a drink, while less dominant males control territories away from water with more vegetation, and only attract mares without foals. Mares may travel through several territories but remain in one when they have young. Staying in a territory offers a female protection from harassment by outside males, as well as access to resources.

In all species, excess males gather in bachelor groups. These are typically young males that are not yet ready to establish a harem or territory. With the plains zebra, the oldest males are the most dominant and group membership is stable. Bachelor groups tend to be at the boundaries of herds and during group movements, the bachelors follow behind or along the sides. Mountain zebra bachelor groups may also include young females that have left their natal group early, as well as old, former harem males. A territorial Grévy's zebra stallion may allow non-territorial bachelors in their territory, however when a mare in oestrous is present the territorial stallion keeps other stallions at bay. Bachelors prepare for their future harem roles with play fights and greeting/challenge rituals, which make up most of their activities.

Fights between males usually occur over mates and involve biting and kicking. In plains zebra, stallions fight each other over recently matured mares to bring into their group and her family stallion will fight off other males trying to abduct her. As long as a harem stallion is healthy, he is not usually challenged. Only unhealthy stallions have their harems taken over, and even then, the new stallion slowly takes over, peacefully displacing the old one. Agonistic behaviour between male Grévy's zebras occurs at the border of their territories.

Communication

Zebras produce a number of vocalisations and noises. The plains zebra has a distinctive, barking contact call heard as "a- ha, a- ha, a- ha" or "kwa-ha, kaw-ha, ha, ha". The mountain zebra may produce a similar sound while the call of the Grévy's zebra has been described as "something like a hippo's grunt combined with a donkey's wheeze". Loud snorting and rough "gasping" in zebras signals alarm. Squealing is usually made when in pain, but can also be heard in friendly interactions. Zebras also communicate with visual displays, and the flexibility of their lips allows them to make complex facial expressions. Visual displays also consist of head, ear, and tail postures. A zebra may signal an intention to kick by dropping back its ears and whipping its tail. Flattened ears, bared teeth and a waving head may be used as threatening gestures by stallions.

Individuals may greet each other by rubbing and sniffing and then mutually rub their cheeks, and move along their bodies towards each other's genitals to sniff. They then may caress their shoulders against each other and lay their heads on one another. This greeting usually occurs between harem or territorial males or among bachelor males playing. Plains and mountain zebras strengthen their social bonds with grooming. Members of a harem nibble and rake along the neck, shoulder, and back with their teeth and lips. Grooming usually occurs between mothers and foals and between stallions and mares. Grooming establishes social rank and eases aggressive behaviour, although Grévy's zebras generally do not perform social grooming.

Reproduction and parenting

Among plains and mountain zebras, the adult females mate only with their harem stallion, while in Grévy's zebras, mating is more promiscuous and the males have larger testes for sperm competition. Female zebras have five to ten day long oestrous cycles; physical signs include a swollen, everted (inside out) labia and copious flows of urine and mucus. Among reaching peak oestrous, mares spread-out their legs, lift their tails and open their mouths when in the presence of a male. Males assess the female's reproductive state with a curled lip and bared teeth ( flehmen response) and the female will solicit mating by backing in. Gestation is typically around a year. A few days to a month later, mares can return to oestrus. In harem-holding species, oestrus in a female becomes less noticeable to outside males as she gets older, hence competition for older females is virtually nonexistent.

Usually, a single foal is born, which is capable of running within an hour of birth. A newborn zebra will follow anything that moves, so new mothers prevent other mares from approaching their foals as they become more familiar with the mother's striping pattern, smell and voice. At a few weeks old, foals begin to graze, but may continue to nurse for eight to thirteen months. Living in an arid environment, Grévy's zebras have longer nursing intervals and young only begin to drink water three months after birth.

In plains and mountain zebras, foals are cared for mostly by their mothers, but if threatened by pack-hunting hyenas and dogs, the entire group works together to protect all the young. The group forms a protective front with the foals in the centre, and the stallion will rush at predators that come too close. In Grévy's zebras, young stay in " kindergartens" when their mothers leave for water. These groups are tended to by the territorial male. A stallion may look after a foal in his territory to ensure that the mother stays, though it may not be his. By contrast, plains zebra stallions are generally intolerant of foals that are not theirs and may practice infanticide and feticide via violence to the pregnant mare.

Human relations

Cultural significance

With their distinctive black-and-white stripes, zebras are among the most recognisable mammals. They have been associated with beauty and grace, with naturalist Thomas Pennant describing them in 1781 as "the most elegant of quadrupeds". Zebras have been popular in photography, with some wildlife photographers describing them as the most photogenic animal. They have become staples in children's stories and wildlife-themed art, such as depictions of Noah's Ark. In children's alphabet books, the animals are often used to represent the letter 'Z'. Zebra stripe patterns are popularly used for body paintings, dress, furniture and architecture.

Zebras have been featured in African art and culture for millennia. They are depicted in rock art in Southern Africa dating from 28,000 to 20,000 years ago, though less often than antelope species like eland. How the zebra got its stripes has been the subject of folk tales, some of which involve it being scorched by fire. The Maasai proverb "a man without culture is like a zebra without stripes" has become popular in Africa. The San people connected zebra stripes with water, rain and lighting, and water spirits were conceived of having these markings.

For the Shona people, the zebra is a totem animal and is glorified in a poem as an "iridescent and glittering creature". Its stripes have symbolised the union of male and female and at the ruined city of Great Zimbabwe, zebra stripes decorate what is believed to be a domba, a school meant to prepare girls for adulthood. In the Shona language, the name madhuve means "woman/women of the zebra totem" and is a name for girls in Zimbabwe. The plains zebra is the national animal of Botswana and zebras have been depicted on stamps during colonial and post-colonial Africa. For people of the African diaspora, the zebra represented the politics of race and identity, being both black and white.

In cultures outside of its range, the zebra has been thought of as a more exotic alternative to the horse; the comic book character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, is depicted riding a zebra and explorer Osa Johnson was photographed riding one. The film Racing Stripes features a captive zebra ostracised from the horses and ends up being ridden by a rebellious girl. Zebras have been featured as characters in animated films like , The Lion King and the Madagascar films and television series such as .

Zebras have been popular subjects for abstract, modernist and surrealist artists. Such art includes Christopher Wood's Zebra and Parachute, Lucian Freud's The Painter's Room and Quince on a Blue Table and the various paintings of Mary Fedden and Sidney Nolan. Victor Vasarely depicted zebras as black and white lines and connected in a jigsaw puzzle fashion. Carel Weight's Escape of the Zebra from the Zoo during an Air Raid was based on a real life incident of a zebra escaping during the bombing of London Zoo and consists of four comic book-like panels. Zebras have lent themselves to products and advertisements, notably for 'Zebra Grate Polish' cleaning supplies by British manufacturer Reckitt and Sons and Japanese pen manufacturer Zebra Co., Ltd.

Zebra (1763) by George Stubbs. A portrait of Queen Charlotte's zebra

Zebras have been kept in captivity since at least the Roman Empire. In later times, captive zebras have been shipped around the world, often for diplomatic reasons. In 1261, Sultan Baibars of Egypt established an embassy with Alfonso X of Castile and sent a zebra and other exotic animals as gifts. In 1417, a zebra was gifted to the Chinese people by Somalia and displayed before the Yongle Emperor. The fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir received a zebra from Ethiopia in 1620 and Ustad Mansur made a painting of it. In the 1670s, Ethiopian Emperor Yohannes I exported two zebras to the Dutch governor of Jakarta. These animals would eventually be given by the Dutch to the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan.

When Queen Charlotte received a zebra as a wedding gift in 1762, the animal became a source of fascination for the people of Britain. Many flocked to see it at its paddock at Buckingham Palace. It soon became the subject of humour and satire, being referred to as "The Queen's Ass", and was the subject of an oil painting by George Stubbs in 1763. The zebra also gained a reputation for being ill-tempered and kicked at visitors. In 1882, Ethiopia sent a zebra to French president Jules Grévy, and the species it belonged to was named in his honour.

Attempts to domesticate zebras were largely unsuccessful. It is possible that having evolved under pressure from the many large predators of Africa, including early humans, they became more aggressive, thus making domestication more difficult. However, zebras have been trained throughout history. In Rome, zebras are recorded to have pulled chariots during amphitheatre games starting in the reign of Caracalla (198 to 217 AD). In the late 19th century, the zoologist Walter Rothschild trained some zebras to draw a carriage in England, which he drove to Buckingham Palace to demonstrate that it can be done. However, he did not ride on them knowing that they were too small and aggressive. In the early 20th century, German colonial officers in East Africa tried to use zebras for both driving and riding, with limited success.

Conservation

As of 2016-2019, the IUCN Red List of mammals lists the Grévy's zebra as endangered, the mountain zebra as vulnerable and the plains zebra as near-threatened. Grévy's zebra populations are estimated at less than 2,000 mature individuals, but they are stable. Mountain zebras number near 35,000 individuals and their population appears to be increasing. Plains zebra are estimated to number 150,000-250,000 with a decreasing population trend. Human intervention has fragmented zebra ranges and populations. Zebras are threatened by hunting for their hide and meat, and habitat destruction. They also compete with livestock and have their travelling routes obstruct by fences. Civil wars in some countries have also caused declines in zebra populations. By the early 20th century, zebra skins were being used to make rugs and chairs. In the 21st century, zebras may be taken by trophy hunters as zebra skin rugs sell for $1,000 to $2,000. Trophy hunting was rare among African peoples though the San were known to hunt zebra for meat.

The quagga ( E. quagga quagga) population was hunted by early Dutch settlers and later by Afrikaners to provide meat or for their skins. The skins were traded or used locally. The quagga was probably vulnerable to extinction due to its restricted range, and because they were easy to find in large groups. The last known wild quagga died in 1878. The last captive quagga, a female in Amsterdam's Natura Artis Magistra zoo, lived there from 9 May 1867 until it died on 12 August 1883. The Cape mountain zebra, a subspecies of mountain zebra, nearly went extinct due to hunting and habitat destruction, with less than 50 individuals left by the 1950s. Protections from South African National Parks allowed the population to rise to 2,600 by the 2010s.

Zebras can be found in numerous protected areas. Important areas for the Grévy's zebra include Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary and Chelbi Sanctuary in Ethiopia and Buffalo Springs, Samburu and Shaba National Reserves in Kenya. The plains zebra inhabits the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, Tsavo and Masai Mara in Kenya, Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, Etosha National Park in Namibia, and Kruger National Park in South Africa. Mountain zebras are protected in Mountain Zebra National Park, Karoo National Park and Goegap Nature Reserve in South Africa as well as Etosha and Namib-Naukluft Park in Namibia.

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General bibliography

External links

The Quagga Project-An organisation that selectively breeds zebras to recreate the hair coat pattern of the quagga

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Zebras (, ) (subgenus Hippotigris ) are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra ( Equus grevyi), plains zebra ( E. quagga), and the mountain zebra ( E. zebra). Zebras share the genus with horses and asses, the three groups being the only living members of the family Equidae.

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Read Aloud

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Read Aloud

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Cheetah's Speed

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The Science of a Cheetah's Speed | National Geographic

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https://www.getepic.com/app/read/55445

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Investigate by watching animals live.

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Tiger

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The hunt for a "man-eating" tiger in India

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Grey Wolf

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Photographer cuddles up with huge pack of gray wolves

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Giraffe

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Baby Giraffes Are Awkward - Cutest Compilation

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Ferret

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Crazy little pet ferret playing, bouncing around, biting, jumping, dancing and stealing

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Panda

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These Zoo Live Cams Let You Hang Out With Pandas, Giraffes, and Other Adorable Animals All Day Long

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From San Diego Zoo's precious pandas to beluga whales at the Atlanta Aquarium, you're about to have a new best friend.

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Penguin

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Cat

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Ten Cutest Cat Breeds all over the World [2020] | The Most Beautiful Cats

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Dog

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The Best Dogs of BBC Earth | Top 5 | BBC Earth

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Zebra

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Zebra

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Cheetah photo

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Lion

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Mother Lioness Hunts Warthog | BBC Earth

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Kangaroo in Australia

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Wildlife Documentaries & Nature Documentaries

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Kangaroo - Australian Kangaroos Documentary (Kangaroo Life)

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Llamas

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A Typical Day on The Llama Ranch - Ep 20- Llama Life