Grant's Zebra

• Range: Southern Sudan and eastern Africa to the upper Zambezi.
  
• Habitat: It inhabits grasslands, especially those with scattered trees.
  
• Description: Black ground color with bold contrasting stripes continuing down to the hooves; rarely any shadow stripes, except occasionally and faintly on hindquarters. They have seven to ten neck stripes, three to four vertical body stripes, and a short, upright mane. Shoulder height is 50 inches and they weigh from 500 to 600 pounds.
  
• Diet: In the wild, non-selective grazing of available grasses, especially grass stems and sheaths, takes place. Teeth very high crowned which is an adaptation to chewing silica-rich grasses. Large barrel-shaped bodies hold a very large amount of relatively un-nutritious grass. These Zebras are very dependent on water.
  
• Behavior: Grant’s Zebras live in stable family groups of up to 17 animals headed by a single stallion. Mares stay with the group; offspring leave. Females establish a dominance hierarchy. During travel, the group is led by the dominant female and her foal, followed by other females in their order of dominance. Members recognize each other by sight primarily, but also by voice and smell. Families maintain close bonds even during extended migrations with thousands of other zebra and wildebeest. The family will slow its pace to allow weak ones to keep up; they don’t leave them. The stallion is the rear guard when the family flees from a predator. Zebras are gregarious under conditions of abundant food or around water holes.
  
• Breeding: Males are not sexually mature until 5 to 6 years old, although in zoos breeding may occur at younger ages. Until old enough to establish their own breeding groups, young males remain with their families or leave to form bachelor herds of two to 10 individuals. Young females have a characteristic stance during estrous which attracts nearby males who then attempt to abduct her. The abductor may have to fight her father to acquire her. Several males may abduct her until she learns not to show estrous. This forceful removal from the family acts to prevent inbreeding. Under ideal conditions, a female may produce a foal every year. One young is born after a gestation of 361 to 390 days.