Stripes! Just as each person has a unique fingerprint, each zebra has its own stripe pattern. There are three different species of zebra.
Social Behaviour ||
Zebra live in herds of five - 15 animals, consisting of several mares and offspring led by a stallion. Young females are forced out of their family group at the time they become sexually receptive, a way of decreasing inbreeding.
Diet ||
Zebras are herbivores, and live on open grasslands where there is plenty of food. They mostly eat grass.
Reproduction ||
Female zebras give birth to a single baby after a 360 to 396 day pregnancy. Babies can walk within 15 minutes of birth, but will stay with their mothers until they are around a year old.
Life Cycle ||
Zebras can live up to 40 years in captivity. In the wild, their life expectancy is much shorter, being about nine years.
Relatives ||
Its closest relatives are the other species and sub-species of zebra.
Interesting Facts :
Zebra often form mixed herds with antelope
Zebra have extremely good senses for detecting predators
Breeding Programme ||
We are not breeding from our zebras, as they are common both in the wild and in captivity.
Environmental Conditions ||
This particular species of zebra is common. The other species are threatened by poaching and habitat loss.
At Wellington Zoo ||
Wellington Zoo has two female zebras, both the same species. Molly was born in 1990 and came to us from Auckland Zoo. Zardi was born in 1997 and was transferred from Hamilton Zoo.
