< Previous Page

Behavior

Zebra are more active during the day. They graze an hour or more at night. While sleeping at night one member of the herd will remain alert for predators. In the morning the herd may travel a distance of 10 miles before settling down for the nights grazing and rest.

Zebra are very sociable. Each species has a different social structure.  Zebra fights often become very violent, with the animals biting at each other's necks or legs and kicking. While stallions may come and go, the mares stay together for life. They exist in a hierarchy with the alpha female being the first to mate with the stallion and being the one to lead the group.

Like horses, zebras sleep standing up and only sleep when neighbor are around to warn them of predators. Zebras communicate with each other with high-pitched barks and brays.

Food and foraging

Zebra are very adaptable grazers. They feed fedd mainly on grasses but will also eat shrubs, herbs, twigs, leaves and bark. Plains zebras are pioneer grazers and are the first to eat at well-vegetated area. After the area is moved down by the zebras, other grazers follow.

Zebras in Danger

Grevy's and mountain zebra have suffered large declines in numbers and loss of habitat and are threatened with extinction.  Unlike the other zebra species, Grevy's zebras do not have permanent social bonds. A group of these zebra rarely stays together for more than a few months. The foals stay with their mother, while the adult male lives alone.  Because they do not live in groups, Grevvy’s zebra are vulnerable.