Grévy’s zebra Equus grevyi

In 1882, the Emperor of Ethiopia presented French President Jules Grévy with a zebra. This species was subsequently named after him.

length: 1.5 metres

weight: 400 kg

population in the wild: fewer than 2500

The Grévy’s zebra performed in Roman circuses as early as the third century, when it was known as the ‘Hippotigris’, or ‘tiger horse’.

The Grévy’s zebra in a nutshell

eats: grasses and other plants

inhabits: Kenya and Ethiopia

excels at: optical confusion

Zebra species

There are three zebra species: the plains zebra, the mountain zebra and the Grévy’s zebra, which is the largest of the three and also boasts the largest ears. Each zebra species, and each individual within a species has a unique pattern of stripes. The Grévy’s zebra has the narrowest stripes. There are a number of theories regarding the reason for the zebra’s stripes. The only one to have been really tested concerns stinging flies such as tsetse flies and horse flies, which appear to prefer an evenly coloured surface over a striped one. Consequently, some horse lovers in the Netherlands use striped horse blankets. Tsetse flies spread sleeping sickness, which is dangerous to humans, along with all kinds of animal diseases. In the past, this made large parts of Africa uninhabitable for people and their livestock.

The status of this species on the IUCN Red List is endangered.

least Concern
near threatened
vulnerable
endangered
critically Endangered
extinct in the Wild

Maternal bond

The Grévy’s zebra has a gestation period of around thirteen months. A newborn zebra forms an important bond with its mother, first recognising her by her smell and sound. Later on, the foal learns to recognise her from among thousands of others by her pattern of stripes. In order to protect their newly born foals, mares stay away from other animals in the herd during the initial period following birth.

Just like donkeys, zebras sometimes bray, at a range of different pitches. They use this call when excited, fighting or escaping predators, or to call other zebras that are some distance away.

Endangered

The wild population of Grévy’s zebra has declined by 80% since the 1970s due to the animals being hunted for their skin, as food or for medicinal uses. They are also endangered by the outbreak of diseases, habitat reduction and fragmentation, and drought.