• Their unique “fingerprints” • The advantages to mud baths • Zebra security guards • and so much more! ith their bold black-and-white Like all horses, zebras have long, stripes, zebras stand apart from handsome faces with big, gentle eyes. They W every other kind of animal. In have strong bodies and long, slender legs. Africa, where all zebras live, thundering Zebras are shorter than most other horses, herds of these magnificent animals roam and they have smaller hooves. Their manes freely over the vast plains. are stiff, their ears are large, and some of them bark! (Zebras that live on the plains Many people don’t know it, but the zebra make a kwa-ha-ha noise, so one of them was is one of the few wild horses left in the world named the quagga, in imitation of the sound today. All horses, both domestic and wild, it made.) Most important, only zebras have belong to the animal stripes—even their manes are striped! group, or genus, known as Equus. Scientists have long wondered why zebras Plains zebras are the most common. have stripes—they now think that zebra There are fewer mountain zebras and even stripes may repel biting flies. more rare are the Grevy’s zebras—also considered the most primitive of the zebra As you will see, there are three different species. One type of zebra that once crowded types of zebras—and each type lives in a the African plains is now extinct. Decide for different habitat in Africa. Plains zebras are yourself which zebra you like the best! found on the open grasslands and along the edges of deserts. Mountain zebras live in the stony mountains. And Grevy’s zebras live in the dry semi-deserts. ost zebras live on the open M grasslands, where there is plenty to eat, but few places to hide from predators. To stay alive, zebras must be able to make quick getaways when a predator creeps up. The legs of zebras are very long, so when they run they can take big strides. And they have strong muscles and large lungs, so they can keep running

for long distances without tiring or slowing down. A zebra has several speeds, or gaits. Each Zebras are plant-eating animals, or herbivores. gait requires the animal to move its legs in a As you will see below, they have extra long different pattern. The most important gaits for running are the trot and the gallop. necks to help them reach the grass on the ground. And they have special teeth to help them chew their food.

When grazing, zebras use their sharp front teeth like scissors to clip off the grass. Usually, they eat only The bones of a zebra are the tips of the grass. lightweight, but strong. As thin as a zebra’s leg may look, it is actually strong enough to support all of the animal’s weight when it gallops. And zebras are heavy—some weigh as much as 950 pounds.

Mesohippus (Zebra Ancestor) Modern Zebra Foot

The strong back teeth, or molars, are used to crush and grind coarse grass. When chewing, Mesohippus Zebras’ early ancestors had three toes the lower jaw moves against the upper jaw in Foot on each foot—as did the ancestors of a sideways motion. A zebra’s back teeth keep all members of the horse family. growing until the animal reaches old age, so Modern zebras have only one toe on they almost never wear out. each foot—surrounded by a hard hoof.

2 The trot is a fairly fast but easy gait that A zebra’s fastest gait is the gallop. In the gallop, all four zebras use for traveling long distances—for hooves may be off the ground at once for a split second. example, when looking for new pastures. In Then, one after the other, each foot touches down with a the trot, the diagonal legs move together— sharp, quick thud. When running from predators, zebras first one pair, then the other. can gallop 35 miles an hour or more.

To reach the grass on the ground, zebras have long heads and necks. Yet a zebra has only seven bones in its neck—the same number that you have in yours!

Because zebras have narrow feet and hard hooves, they can run over rocky ground that would hurt the feet of most other kinds of animals.

The running muscles of a zebra are bunched near the shoulders and hips, rather than down the legs, where their weight would slow the animal down. Tough, cord-like tendons attach the zebra’s running muscles to its leg bones. When the muscles contract, the legs move. 3 zebra’s life is full of danger from hungry lions, Zebras have excellent leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs. Most of the hearing to listen for predators. They can A time, these predators hunt by sneaking up on twist their flexible ears their prey and then catching it by surprise. To be safe in almost any direction to pick up sounds from them, zebras must stay alert at all times. all around them. Go Luckily, zebras have wonderful senses to help them to rangerrick.org/ detect enemies before they attack. Their excellent learnmore to discover something special eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell all help to warn about their eyesight! them when predators are nearby.

A zebra can easily outrun a predator over a long distance. When a zebra is attacked, it As it runs, the zebra zigzags fights for its life—kicking hard from side to side, looking back with its hind legs and biting over its shoulder to see if the with its teeth. A zebra can predator is still kill a leopard with one well- behind it. If the placed kick. But often it is the zebra can get leopard that wins the fight. away in the first 100 yards, it is usually home free.

4 The eyes of a zebra are set high on the sides of its head to allow a wide range of vision. Even when bending down to graze, zebras can Learn! look out over the grass to watch for predators.

When two zebras stand side by side, they usually face in opposite directions. This makes it possible for them to see in all directions—and makes it twice as easy to spot predators.

All zebras seem to know when a lion is hungry and when it is just resting. So they will often graze very peacefully when lions are around— but always at a safe distance.

Danger lurks everywhere for zebras—even in the water!

A hungry crocodile in a water hole will grab a zebra in a second if it has a chance.

5 t first glance, all zebras seem to look alike. But, as you have already learned, there are actually A three different types, or species, of zebras. Each species has its own special stripe pattern. Beyond that, there are six different kinds, or subspecies, of the No two zebras are plains zebra (four of which are shown here) and two exactly alike. Just as subspecies of the mountain zebra. There is only each person has his or one type of Grevy’s zebra. You can usually tell one her own fingerprint, each individual zebra has its kind of zebra from another by looking at the own stripe pattern. stripe pattern on the animal’s hindquarters.

AFRICA

Plains zebras GRANT’S ZEBRA Equus quagga boehmi Mountain zebras

Grevy’s zebras Grant’s zebras have very wide stripes on their hindquarters. Their stripes are dark, and their legs are striped all the way down to their hooves. (PLAINS ZEBRA)

CHAPMAN’S ZEBRA Equus quagga chapmani

CAPE MOUNTAIN ZEBRA Equus zebra zebra

HARTMANN’S MOUNTAIN ZEBRA Equus zebra hartmannae The Cape mountain zebra is the smallest zebra, standing only four Hartmann’s mountain zebras feet at the shoulder. It has a strip are taller than Cape mountain of narrow stripes above the base zebras, and their stripes are of the tail, and a flap of skin on narrower and closer together. its neck called a dewlap. (MOUNTAIN ZEBRA) (MOUNTAIN ZEBRA)

6 Crawshay’s zebras also have “shadow stripes,” but these stripes aren’t usually as dark as those of Chapman’s zebras. (PLAINS ZEBRA)

CRAWSHAY’S ZEBRA Equus quagga crawshayi

GREVY’S ZEBRA Equus grevyi

Chapman’s zebras have brownish “shadow stripes” between the black-and-white stripes on their coats. Their leg stripes usually don’t run all the way down to the hooves. (PLAINS ZEBRA) Grevy’s zebras are the largest zebras, standing over five feet at the shoulder. They have narrow vertical stripes on their bodies, with white stomachs. Grevy’s zebras look more like donkeys than other zebras, because of their big heads and large, rounded ears.

QUAGGA ZEBRA EQUUS QUAGGA QUAGGA (EXTINCT)

BURCHELL’S ZEBRA Equus quagga burchellii

Burchell’s zebras are the lightest- colored zebras and were once considered extinct. Their At one time, quaggas like this one roamed all over legs are completely white, and they have southern Africa. But colonists began shooting them for only a few stripes on their stomachs. (PLAINS ZEBRA) their meat and to make leather from their skins. They were extinct in the wild by the middle 1870s. The last quagga died in the Amsterdam Zoo in 1883. 7 A Grant’s zebra grazes alongside her foal. Grant’s zebras are a type of plains zebra, so-called because they live on the African plains.

8 Ha ha!

9 ebras are social animals. They live in Zsmall family groups of 5 to 15 animals. A family group is usually made up of several females and their young, led by an adult male, or stallion. Living in groups is much safer for zebras than living alone. This is because several zebras have many more eyes and ears to watch and listen for predators. Also, if one zebra is in trouble, the others come to its rescue. And if a zebra is missing from the group, all search for it until it is found.

Zebras use the expressions on their faces to let one another know how they feel about things. An angry zebra pulls back its ears and shows its teeth 1 . 1

2

A frightened zebra shows its teeth, too—but its ears are pulled forward 2 .

These zebras are saying a friendly “hello.” Notice how their mouths are open and their ears are pricked up.

10 Zebras are noisy animals. They “talk” to each other by braying or barking loudly. Individual zebras can recognize one another by their voices. They often call to each other when they are separated.

The front feet of a zebra are more delicate than the back feet. So zebras rarely use their front feet when they fight. The risk of injury is too great. Sometimes fights break out between male zebras. Usually the animals try to bite each other on the neck and legs, or they kick each other with their hind legs. Fighting zebras can hurt each other seriously.

When a zebra has an itch, it scratches itself by rubbing against a tree, boulder, stump, or even another zebra!

Zebras clean their bodies by rolling in mud or dust! When the mud dries, they shake it off along with loose hair and flakes of dry skin. The film of dust that is left on the skin acts as a shield against Wouldn’t it be heat, wind, and insects. funny if you could clean yourself the way zebras do—by taking a bath in mud? ebras are grazing animals. Their favorite food is grass. But if necessary, they will eat shrubs, Zleaves, fruit, roots, and even bark. Because this type of food is low in nutritional value, zebras must eat a lot of it to get the nourishment they need. For this reason, they spend many hours each day grazing. But they always keep a watchful eye out for trouble. Usually they graze in the morning and late evening. Then at midday, they rest in the shade, standing together in a close group. When all the grass in one area has been eaten, they move on to new pastures.

Zebras need to drink water often. When water is scarce, they can sniff out underground pools, dig a hole, and uncover a fresh supply.

Birds called oxpeckers help to keep zebras clean by eating the tiny pests that burrow in their skin.

12 Zebras often graze side by side with wildebeests. Occasionally, they are seen with giraffes. When they eat, giraffes trim the treetops, and zebras and wildebeests clip the grass.

Some scientists think that a zebra’s stripes help to hide, or camouflage, it within the herd. But predators seem to have no trouble picking out one zebra to chase. For another theory about why zebras have stripes, turn back to the beginning of this book.

When attacked by predators, an alarm call is passed through the herd and all the animals flee. As they run, they stay very close Zebras almost never rest in tall grass, together, with their bodies almost because a predator could be hiding touching. They can run this way for hours, there. When they do lie down to rest, without ever bumping into one another. one animal—usually a stallion—remains standing to watch for trouble. 13 aby zebras are called foals. Male babies are called colts, and young females are called fillies. A newborn Bfoal weighs 60 to 70 pounds and stands about 3 feet tall. Its fur is softer and fuzzier than its mother’s. And its stripes are sometimes brown and white, rather than black and white. A mother zebra watches over her foal carefully and keeps it close to her at all times. When the foal is very young, she chases away any other zebra that comes near—even the leader of the group. When the foal grows older, it joins the rest of the small herd and plays with other young zebras. But even then, its mother and other adult zebras protect it from predators. When danger threatens, the adults push the foals to the inside of the herd to guard them. Then they all take off running, the babies safe within a mass of bodies. Foals have manes that run down the whole length of their backs— all the way down to their tails. As a foal gets older, the long mane disappears, and an adult mane takes its place. But while the offspring is young, its mother grooms the mane often to show her affection.

Foals spend a lot of time playing. By running fast and pushing and shoving each other in play fights, they develop speed and strength. And they learn how to be leaders and followers and to run with the herd.

14 When running with the herd, foals always stay close to their mothers for protection. But other zebras watch over them, too—if necessary.

Within 15 minutes after it is born, a foal is up on its feet. Within an hour, it can run fast enough to keep up with the Watch! herd. It can do this because its legs are very long—almost as long as its mother’s are. Baby zebras must be able to run soon after birth. Otherwise, they would be easy prey for predators.

A baby zebra has such long legs that it has to splay them like a giraffe when it wants a drink of water.

15 eople are fascinated by the zebra’s park, and private ranchers later helped boost striped pattern. Ancient Romans kept the population with zebras they had protected P zebras in their circuses and called on their own property. them “horse-tigers” because of their stripes. And in 19th-century Europe, zebras Today, the Cape mountain zebra and sometimes pulled the carriages of royalty Hartmann’s mountain zebra are still vulnerable and other wealthy and fashionable people. species, but through the efforts of The Empress Josephine kept a zebra in her governments, zoos, and private citizens, they private zoo, and her children regularly rode do survive. The Burchell’s zebra, once “zebraback.” believed extinct, was also rediscovered in the early 2000s thanks to advanced genetic testing. Until European exploration opened the And in Africa’s many national parks, large African continent to the rest of the world, herds of the plains zebras live alongside zebras and other animals lived in balance with antelopes, buffaloes, elephants, and rhinos— one another and with the indigenous peoples as they once did throughout the grasslands of of Africa. But after the arrival of Boer farmers, Africa. As we learn more about the earth and who didn’t want wild grazing animals to its inhabitants, it becomes clear that we also compete with their domestic sheep, goats, and must learn to live in balance with nature. cattle for food, the quagga and other animals were exterminated. Photographic Credits Front Cover: Royalty Free (Alamy Images); Inside Front Cover and Page One: Royalty Free (Alamy Images); Page Five: Top, Royalty Free (Alamy Images); Middle, Royalty Free (Alamy Images); Page Seven: Science Source; Pages Eight and Nine: Royalty Free (Alamy Images); Page Sixteen: Royalty Many people became concerned about Free (Corbis); Back Cover: Royalty Free (Alamy Images). disappearing wildlife, and international Art Credits All paintings by Richard Orr. conservation groups were formed. The January 2021 Volume Thirty-eight Number Three Ranger Rick Zoobooks (ISSN 0727-9005) is government of South Africa established published nine times a year by the National Wildlife Federation, a nonprofit corporation, 11100 Wildlife Mountain Zebra National Park in 1937—the Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190. Periodicals postage paid at Herndon, VA, and additional mailing offices. TO SUBSCRIBE: Rates are $29.95 per year (9 issues). Add $15 for Canada and all other foreign year that only 47 Cape mountain zebras countries. Send payment to Ranger Rick Zoobooks, P.O. Box 3057, Harlan, IA 51593. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Ranger Rick Zoobooks, P.O. Box 3057, Harlan, IA 51593. remained. Six zebras were moved into the Spreading the news that animals need our help is something you can do. One way you can get the word out is by sharing your drawings, poems, and stories! ZZoooowwororkkss ® Logan Elliott, Hadley Shilling, age 7 age 10

There once was a zebra who had a little fright. The big lion scared him all through the night. Run like the lightning to the herd! Then to the lion you’ll be a blur. Rachel Ader, age 8 Annabelle Spencer, age 9 Stripes! On legs, body, face, and back, Black-white, white-black. Stripes! Vanish in half-light, White-black, black-white. Stripes! It’s something they don’t lack, Black-white, white-black. Stripes black, stripes white, Norah Elliott, age 8 Zebras are what we like! Olivia Kate Bordner, age 12 Liliana Niño, age 10

Zebras, black and white, Eat all the grass in sight. Beautiful creatures sticking together, Roaming the land, forever and ever. Adventuring to places near and far, Silent animals, raising the bar. Bram Gordon, age 6 Hannah Efremoff, age 9 Mila Quinn, age 11

Would you like to see your Look for work published in Activity Pages Online! Ranger Rick Zoobooks? Here’s what to do: Visit Rangerrick.org and click on . Visit rangerrick.org That’s where you’ll find fun activities and click on the contest to print or download. box for complete entry information. Tell us what Plus you’ll find: • Interactive games We want to see your you thought of • 50 pictures, poems and stories from kids like you original poem, story, or drawing by January 20, 2021 this book! • Animal videos for “Camels” and March 31, 2021 for “Young Animals” © 2021, The National Wildlife Federation® Explore the habits and habitats of animals around the world with other titles in the Ranger Rick Zoobooks series: Alligators & Crocodiles Endangered Animals Penguins Animal All-stars Giraffes Polar Bears Animal Babies Gorillas Rattlesnakes Animal Champions Hippos Rhinos Animal Wonders Hummingbirds Sea Otters Apes Insects Seabirds Bats Insect World Seals, Sea Lions Bears Kangaroos & Walruses Big Cats Koalas & Other Sharing the World with Animals Birds of Prey Australian Animals ON THE COVER: Sharks A Plains Zebra Butterflies Lions Snakes Camels Little Cats Everyone knows that zebras have black Spiders and white stripes—but you might not know Cheetahs Nocturnal Animals Tigers there are several different types of zebras! Chimpanzees Old World Monkeys Turtles Plains zebras are the most abundant and City Animals Orangutans can be found on grasslands across Africa. Whales Deer, Moose & Elk Ostriches Wild Dogs Series Created by Dinosaurs Otters, Skunks & Their Relatives Wild Horses John Bonnett Wexo Dolphins & Porpoises Owls Wolves Ducks, Geese & Swans Written by Pandas Young Animals Linda C. Wood Eagles Parrots Zebras Elephants Original Scientific Consultant Oliver Ryder, Ph.D. For more from The National Wildlife Federation Director of Genetics please visit our website Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global rangerrick.org

Chief Innovation & Research Consultant Growth Officer Peter Gilson With a Dawn Rodney Social Media Ranger Rick Sales Manager Manager EXPLORE newsletter, part Kurt Von Hertsenberg Kate Golembiewski of a Ranger Rick Editorial Director membership. Renee C. Burch Even More! Art Director Shawn Biner Subscribers can sign up for the FREE electronic newsletter at rangerrick.org/enewsletter-sign-up and discover: • Best wildlife sites on the web • Animal jokes, puzzles, games, activities • Wildlife and zoo news • Animal cams • Green tips, save-the-animals sites and causes

See a newsletter preview at rangerrick.org/enewsletter- sign-up. The newsletter part of a Ranger Rick Zoobooks membership, so sign up today! So! You’ve just finished reading yourRanger Rick Zoobooks, and your head is full of new fun facts. Come on over to rangerrick.org/games-jokes/ to take our zebra quiz, and impress us with what you’ve learned. See you there!

Published by The National Wildlife Federation® The National Wildlife Federation ISBN 978-1-938811-73-9 © 2021 The National Wildlife Federation®. All rights reserved. 11100 Wildlife Center Drive No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in Reston, VA 20190 any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval rangerrick.org system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ZEBRASEBRAS Activities January 2021 ZZoooowwororkkss ® Logan Elliott, Hadley Shilling, age 7 age 10

There once was a zebra who had a little fright. The big lion scared him all through the night. Run like the lightning to the herd! Then to the lion you’ll be a blur. Rachel Ader, age 8 Stripes! Annabelle Spencer, age 9 On legs, body, face, and back, Black-white, white-black. Stripes! Vanish in half-light, White-black, black-white. Stripes! It’s something they don’t lack, Black-white, white-black.

Stripes black, stripes white, Norah Elliott, age 8 Zebras are what we like! Olivia Kate Bordner, age 12 Liliana Niño, age 10

Zebras, black and white, Eat all the grass in sight. Beautiful creatures sticking together, Roaming the land, forever and ever. Adventuring to places near and far, Silent animals, raising the bar. Bram Gordon, age 8 Hannah Efremoff, age 9 Mila Quinn, age 11

Would you like to see your g Look for work published in Go to Activity Pages Online! Ranger Rick Zoobooks? rangerrick.orgrangerrick.or Here’s what to do: Visit Rangerrick.org and click on . Visit rangerrick.org That’s where you’ll find fun activities and click on the contest for to print or download. box for complete entry information. even more Plus you’ll find: fun! • Interactive games We want to see your • 50 pictures, poems and stories from kids like you original poem, story, or drawing by January 20, 2021 • Animal videos for “Camels” and March 31, 2021 for “Young Animals” © 2021, The National Wildlife Federation® HORSES ooff the FFORESTOREST “Horses of Why, according to some scientists, do zebras have stripes? 2. Write each unscrambled zebra word in the forest” is the Many say stripes protect them from biting flies. But to discover its place in the Key Word Puzzle. name that many another possible reason, follow these steps: 3. After filling in all the blanks in the Key Africans give to 1. Unscramble the letters below. When put in the correct order, Word Puzzle, put together the letters in zebras. the letters spell a zebra word. You can use the Hints to help the colored boxes. They give one possible you unscramble the words. We’ve done the first answer for answer to the question, Why do zebras you as an example. When we unscrambled the letters we have stripes? discovered the term fuzzy coat.

zufyz taco HINTS KEY WORD PUZZLE 1. a baby zebra vergy’s has this 1. tripess 2. a type of zebra ote 3. a strong back tooth 2. quaintshrerd 4. modern zebras longpalig have only one of 3. utonmain these per foot 5. another type 4. slipan of zebra romal 6. the hard part of a zebra’s foot 5. ofoh 7. one way of

6. camouflage Key word: Key running, if you’re a zebra 8. look for the 7. stripe pattern on this part of a zebra 8. 9. a third type of zebra 9. 10. something all

Answers: zebras have 10.

Can you find your way through the maze of stripes created by these five A-Mazing Zebras? There is only one way to get A-MAZING Zebras! from Start to Finish. See if you can find the hidden path.

Start Finish

b H StarStarss and Stripes H

Which zebras make a Challenge: Match the stripes Double Challenge: Match match? After looking of the zebras on the left with the stripes with the correct closely at the stripes, the zebra names on the far left. type of zebra. Draw a line draw a line between Then, draw a line between the between the squares to the stars in the center. circles to match each zebra show what type each zebra is. Match all seven pairs with its correct name. Some types of zebras have of stars and stripes more than one match. and you will be a champion.

Hartmann’s For help, turn to pages Mountain • H H n Zebra • 6 and 7.

Chapman’s • H H n Zebra •

Crawshay’s Zebra • • H H n n Mountain Zebras

Grevy’s Zebra • • H H n n Plains Zebras

Grant’s Zebra • • H H n n Grevy’s Zebras

Grevy’s zebras—fourth Grevy’s

Burchell’s Zebra • • H H n seventh and sixth, third, zebras—first, Plains

Mountain zebras—second and fifth and zebras—second Mountain

(second column of zebras) zebras) of column (second

Cape Mountain zebra—third Mountain Cape

Burchell’s zebra—sixth Burchell’s

Grant’s zebra—second Grant’s

Grevy’s zebra—seventh Grevy’s

Crawshay’s zebra—first Crawshay’s

Cape Mountain n zebra—fifth Chapman’s • H H zebra—fourth Mountain Hartmann’s

Zebra • zebras) of column (first

(position top to bottom) to top (position Answers

c SSTRIPESTRIPES in Code

The lines in the three grids, above right, form a secret code. Each symbol of the code covers the letter that it represents. For example, = A and = N. Use the code to discover a secret message about the environment. Write the letter that goes with each symbol.

A ZEBRA CCan'tan't Change Its SSTRIPESTRIPES

Be sure to use only ART CHALLENGE non-permanent Make a fingerprint on ink! white paper. First, color your fingertip with a black felt pen. Then, press your finger against the white paper. (The print may be clearer the second or third time you press your finger on the paper.)

Collect fingerprints from several different people. Compare the fingerprints. You will find that no two fingerprints are exactly alike. Just imagine—with all the people in the world, no two of them have fingerprints Make a row of black fingerprints on white paper. that are exactly the same. This is also true Turn these fingerprints into a herd of zebras by of the stripes of zebras. No two zebras have adding heads, legs, and tails with black felt pen.

stripe patterns that are exactly alike.

environment by planting trees. The trees will give off oxygen for you and for zebras. for and you for oxygen off give will trees The trees. planting by environment

: Animals need oxygen. Plants give off oxygen. You can help the the help can You oxygen. off give Plants oxygen. need Animals : Answer Code in Stripes d Credits: Created and Designed by Carol Prime; Additional Design and Production by Shawn Biner