Three species of striped wild horse: the plains, Grévy’s and mountain zebras of eastern and southern Africa. Every zebra’s stripe pattern is unique.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?Can be
Zebras bite and kick hard, and can turn aggressive, especially when defending their young.
Domesticated?No
Never domesticated. Colonial-era attempts to ride and drive them in East Africa had little success.
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAfrica
HabitatGrassland, Scrub, Mountains
ColoursBlack, White
SizeLarge
Length2.2–2.5 m (plains zebra)
Weight175–385 kg (plains zebra)
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives inherds
Lives for25 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Plains zebras across the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, Grévy’s zebras in the dry north-east, and mountain zebras in the south-west.
- What it eats
- Mostly grass.
Did you know
Never properly domesticated — they panic and they bite.
Often confused with
- Okapi
Despite the striped legs, the okapi isn’t related to zebras.
Compare side by side - Zonkey
A zonkey is shaped and coloured like a donkey, with zebra stripes mainly on its legs and belly rather than all over.
Compare side by side
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