According to the African Wildlife Organization, the beautiful black and white coloration of the zebra stands in stark contrast to the dry brown and green grasslands and open savannas of their native territories in East and South Africa. Each zebra has unique stripes. There are three zebra species alive today, the plains zebra (Equus quagga), the mountain zebra (E. zebra), and the Grevy's zebra (E. grevyi), and each of them has distinct stripe patterns. For some species, the darker skin has a black hue, while others have a more brownish tint, and some species only have stripes on their bodies, not on their legs.

In zebras, chemical messengers determine which cells carry pigmentation to which parts of the coat, creating the black and white pattern of zebras. What's essential about zebras is that their white fur symbolizes the absence of pigment; white is not its own pigment. Since the white stripes exist due to the removal of pigment, black is understood as the 'default' color of zebras. Underneath the zebra's fur is also black skin. When a zebra is shaved, without any stripes, it's nearly unrecognizable as an entirely black-colored creature.

In the history of zebra research, researchers have proposed at least 18 different hypotheses about why zebras have stripes, with various explanations, from camouflage to protection against predators to unique markings like human fingerprints. Recent studies have focused on testing some plausible hypotheses about zebra stripes, most commonly the ability to protect against fly bites and thermoregulation capabilities.

Alert to signs of predators like lions, hyenas, cheetahs, and leopards, the herd of zebras is always on guard. When plains zebras sense a predator, they use a distinctive barking sound to warn the entire herd. At night, at least one member stays awake to keep watch. In a mountain zebra society, dominant males may also use nose whistling to signal potential threats, giving the rest of the herd a chance to escape. While not the most social creatures, when danger approaches, a group of Grevy's zebras will stand together in solidarity.

Zebras can defend their herd and territory by kicking, biting, and shoving predators. They exhibit similarly aggressive behavior when another zebra attempts to take over their group or asserts dominance during mating. If a zebra is under attack, other zebras will come to its defense, forming a protective circle around it to drive off the threat. A more common form of self-preservation in zebras is to run; they can move as fast as 40 to 55 miles per hour to escape potential dangers.

Found across diverse regions of Africa, the trio of zebra species that still roam free are the plains zebra, mountain zebra, and Grevy's zebra. All three belong to the genus Equus, which also includes horses and donkeys. Grevy's zebra, exclusive to Ethiopia and Kenya, bears the name of Jules Grevy, a 19th-century French president. The Grevy's zebra has a deer-like appearance with a narrow skull, robust neck, and cone-shaped ears. Its narrow stripes form concentric patterns on the hindquarters, with a white belly and tail base. A distinctive white rim surrounds its muzzle.

The smallest of the bunch, the mountain zebra, is found in South Africa, Namibia, and Angola. Its stripes have moderate width compared to the other two species. Connecting to a dorsal stripe ending in a square mark on the hindquarters, these stripes also incorporate horizontal lines. The belly is white, while the muzzle boasts a chestnut or orange hue. Notably, its eyes are rounder and set farther back compared to other species.

The plains zebra ranges from South Sudan and southern Ethiopia to the northern parts of South Africa. This zebra features broad, horizontally oriented stripes on its hindquarters. Northern populations have wider stripes, whereas southern populations exhibit whiter legs and underbellies. Southern populations also have whiter legs and bellies, along with more prominent brown shadow stripes amidst the black ones. They have relatively short legs, a prominent forehead, and a concave muzzle.

Across the globe, some breeders have offered

Finding a zebra breeder isn't easy, but there are farms dedicated to breeding these remarkable animals. Some pet shops even organize auctions for exotic animals, providing a chance to bid for zebra ownership. Purchasing a zebra can be quite costly. However, the price of a zebra can fluctuate based on several factors, such as age, gender, import costs, and breed.

• Age: Younger zebras than expected can have a higher price as they will stay with the new owner for a more extended period.
• Gender: Wildlife traders often set higher prices for male zebras, so you'll have to pay more if you want to buy a male zebra.
• Import Costs: Zebras originating from Africa may cost more if your exotic pet is directly imported from the continent. However, if local breeders are present in the country, they'll likely charge less without any import costs.
• Breed: Purebred zebras, like Plains zebras and Grevy's zebras, are more expensive than crossbred zebras with horses and donkeys.

Zebras, especially mountain zebras, exhibit remarkable climbing abilities. Living in rugged terrains at high altitudes, mountain zebras effortlessly navigate steep and rough surfaces. Equipped with sturdy and sharp hooves, they excel at mountain climbing. Residing at elevations exceeding 6,500 feet, mountain zebras use their impressive climbing skills to move between mountain peaks in search of food and water.

Mountain zebras are represented by two subspecies: the Cape mountain zebra, found in South Africa, and the Hartmann's mountain zebra, appearing in scattered regions of Namibia, Angola, and South Africa. True to their species name, mountain zebras prefer living on mountain slopes and plateaus. While the Cape mountain zebra inhabits altitudes up to 2,000 meters above sea level, during frigid winter months, they often migrate to lower elevations. On the other hand, Hartmann's mountain zebra continuously moves between mountains and salt flats.

Not to be outdone, plains zebras traverse diverse habitats, from high mountain peaks reaching 14,000 feet to the Serengeti plains. Grevy's zebras tend to stay closer to their preferred grassland environments, at elevations below 2,000 feet.

Similar to human fingerprints, no zebra has the same set of stripes, although all three zebra species share common stripe patterns. Scientists believe these stripes may serve social purposes and help zebras recognize each other. While these stripes may appear similar to the human eye, they assist zebras in distinguishing one another in the natural environment! A zebra can track its family by the stripe pattern.

A zebra can look at the herd and identify its friends through visual recognition. Others have proposed that these unique stripes are also used for social purposes. Zebras often gather in close-knit herds. This contrasts with wildebeest herds, which spread out over a large distance. Perhaps herds are formed by zebras with similar stripes, or stripes could be a means to impress a potential mate. Observations show that the phenomenon of stripe patterns occurs most in areas with many biting flies. The hypothesis is that tsetse flies prefer to land on a shelter with a color, such as wildebeest or buffalo.

Since at least the 19th century, zebras have been crossbred with various animal species to create 'zebroids.' Zebroid is a term commonly used for all zebra hybrids, named by combining the name of the male parent and the female parent. Generally, no distinction is made about which zebra species is used. Often, when zebras are crossbred, they may develop some forms of dwarfism. Breeding different branches of their species, which does not occur in nature, often results in infertility. The combination of a male and female also affects the morphology of the offspring.

Crossbreeding between zebras and other horse breeds has been done extensively, most commonly with horses or donkeys, to produce the best outcomes for both species. Zebras mostly resist domestication but are hardier and less prone to diseases than their horse counterparts. A variety of zebroids has been created from these combinations, including zedonks, zorses, and zonies.

Zorse is a hybrid of a zebra and a female horse. This hybrid zebra is also called a zebrorse, zebrula, zebrule, or zebra mule. Less common reverse pairs are sometimes called hebras, horsebras, zebrets, zebrinnies, or zebra hinnies. Like most other hybrid animals, zorses are sterile. Zony is a hybrid of a zebra and a female pony. Medium-sized female horses are preferred to create riding areas, but zebras have been crossed with smaller horse breeds like Shetland, resulting in what is called 'Zetlands.' A hybrid between a zebra and a donkey is called a zenkey, zonkey, or a zedonk. Other names include zebadonk and zebronkey.

Many animal species require constant care in their early years, but most become independent much earlier. Some are called precocial animals, able to move around and feed themselves shortly after birth. Examples include giraffes, Okapi, horses, sea otters... and notably, the zebra foal. Zebra foals are born with brown and white stripes instead of black and white. Their adult coloration develops around four months of age.

When a zebra mother gives birth, she keeps the zebra foal (zebra baby) away from other zebras for a few days until they can recognize its scent, voice, and appearance. A zebra foal can stand up quickly within 6 minutes of being born and can run within 40 minutes. This is so they can quickly escape predators if needed. Fifty percent of zebra foals die in the water hole stage, mainly from lion and spotted hyena predation. A zebra foal can start eating grass within about a week of being born but will continue to suckle for an average of 10-16 months. Female zebra foals become independent from their mothers earlier than their male counterparts, often leaving the herd from one to three years old to join bachelor herds.

Like all other living beings, zebras need sleep for health, alertness, and vitality. However, not all animal species sleep in the same way. For instance, zebras sleep standing up, especially during the day, and can only lie down at night if they feel safe. Zebras prefer standing sleep during the day to self-protect from predators and other dangers. They manage to sleep while standing due to the adaptive nature of their bones, allowing them to lock their legs in place, preventing them from falling. This bone adaptation allows zebras to involuntarily lock their knees in position when they need to sleep for a while. This adaptation ensures they don't topple over when asleep.

A zebra faces numerous challenges in its development. One of them is finding enough food and clean water every day, requiring constant movement. Being a grass-eating animal, zebras have to walk long distances to find enough food and drinking water daily, leaving them with little time to sleep. On the other hand, predators like lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and cheetahs want to catch them for food. Therefore, zebras must always be cautious to evade these carnivores and others. With the constant need for vigilance and no secure place to lie down, zebras use the ability to stand while sleeping as an advantage during short naps in the day.

All three zebra species currently in existence are listed as endangered. The Grevy's zebra is critically endangered, with fewer than 2,000 remaining. 5 However, the survival of the mountain zebra and the plains zebra is also a significant concern. The mountain zebra is vulnerable, with fewer than 35,000 individuals remaining; the plains zebra is near-threatened, with a population decline from 150,000 to 250,000.

Human activities pose the greatest threat to zebra populations; hunting and habitat destruction contribute to their decline. Zebras are also threatened by drought and other harsh weather conditions, genetic diversity loss due to inbreeding from small populations, and competition for food with livestock. Humans can contribute to the conservation of these wild animals by: building and enforcing anti-poaching laws whenever possible, especially those targeting the trafficking of endangered species; contributing to global conservation efforts, such as symbolic zebra adoption programs by the World Wildlife Fund.

One of the most extraordinary phenomena in the natural world is the annual 1,800-mile migration of millions of zebras, wildebeests, and various antelope species between Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Masai Mara to continuously seek food and water. Like many other large herbivores in Africa, zebras always move to find food and water. Zebras are part of the 'Great Migration' in Serengeti National Park, East Africa, occurring every year and involving millions of zebras, wildebeests, and other antelope species, covering 500 miles across Tanzania and Kenya, through Serengeti, Maasai Mara, and the Ngorongoro Crater mouth.

According to researchers, zebras have been observed in South Africa, covering 300 miles straight across Namibia and Botswana. This is the longest migration among all African land animals, and while it is shorter than the entire Great Migration loop, it is only longer in one direction. Zebras undertake the longest migratory journey compared to any land animal in Africa. Zebras travel twice as far as the North American migration champion, the caribou.