Zebra
Scientific Name:Equus burchelli
Home:Savanna grasslands of eastern Africa
Description:Sleek,plump,short-legged horse with broad black and white stripes,black nose,and a short, bristle-like mane stands up
The plains zebra grazes two-thirds of the day on red oat grass, leaves, bark, roots and stems. Excellent hearing and vision help a zebra to keep alert for predators like lions and hyenas. Zebras stay in family groups of a stallion, or male, and several mares, but different families will come together in huge herds of hundreds of zebras. Herds will mingle with wildebeests, ostriches, and antelope while they graze, and even come to depend on them as additional protection against predators! Zebras are always busy and alert, and very noisy - - they make a lot of sounds!
Zebras are only about four feet tall at the shoulder! Zebras communicate with each other! Mother zebras whinney when seperated from their foals, or babies, and nicker to warn of danger. The zebra alarm is a yelping bark they all make as they run away! Stripes make a zebra feel right at home -- zebra stripes help to keep zebras in close-knit groups! Stripes may also help to confuse predators, but they encourage zebras to make friends with each other!
