Plains Zebra: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Giants of Africa · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. When a lion is near, zebras stay alert and stand in a semi-circle 50 to 100 m away. They bark or snort when they spot a predator.
2. Once a chase starts, an adult zebra can sprint 60-70 km/h (37-43 mph).
3. A typical plains zebra harem has one stallion, several mares and their recent foals.
4. Bachelor zebras gather in groups of up to 15 males. They practice play fights and greeting rituals to prepare to lead their own harems.
5. The extinct quagga split from other plains zebra lineages only 120,000-290,000 years ago.

The quiz

1. What do zebras do when they spot a predator?

• Roar and growl
• Bark or snort (correct)
• Hoot like an owl
• Whistle a song

Zebras bark or snort when they see a predator.

2. How fast can an adult plains zebra sprint?

• 20-30 km/h
• 30-40 km/h
• 90-100 km/h
• 60-70 km/h (correct)

An adult can sprint 60-70 km/h (37-43 mph) once a chase starts.

3. How many stallions are in a typical plains zebra harem?

• One (correct)
• Two
• Five
• Fifteen

A typical harem has one stallion, several mares and their recent foals.

4. What do bachelor zebras practice in their groups?

• Digging for water
• Building nests
• Play fights and greeting rituals (correct)
• Long migrations

Bachelor groups practice play fights and greeting rituals to prepare to lead their own harems.

5. What happened 120,000-290,000 years ago?

• Zebras first reached Africa
• The quagga split from other plains zebra lineages (correct)
• Plains zebras lost their stripes
• Zebras split from horses

The extinct quagga split from other plains zebra lineages only 120,000-290,000 years ago.

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