---
title: "What the sources say about the Plains Zebra | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "60 claims from the Plains Zebra profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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canonical: "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/plains-zebra/sources/"
---

# What the sources say about the Plains Zebra (*Equus quagga*)

> 60 claims from the Plains Zebra profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Plains Zebra](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/plains-zebra/)

## King & Moehlman (2016). Equus quagga. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T41013A45172424.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-2.rlts.t41013a45172424.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Near Threatened | IUCN Red List category: Near Threatened (NT). Equus quagga Boddaert, 1785, IUCN taxon 41013. |

## Caro et al. (2014). The function of zebra stripes. Nature Communications.

https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4535

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Stripes linked to biting flies | significant associations between our proxy for tabanid biting fly annoyance and most striping measures |
| Stripes that a 2014 study linked to biting flies | significant associations between our proxy for tabanid biting fly annoyance and most striping measures (note: '2014' is the paper's publication year per Nature Communications / Crossref metadata (audit:sources --cite), not text in the abstract itself) |
| Zebra stripes have interested scientists for over a century | Despite over a century of interest, the function of zebra stripes has never been examined systematically. |
| A 2014 study was the first to test the main explanations systematically, matching stripe patterns across zebra, horse and ass species and subspecies against conditions in their ranges | the function of zebra stripes has never been examined systematically. Here we match variation in striping of equid species and subspecies to geographic range overlap of environmental variables in multifactor models controlling for phylogeny to simultaneously test the five major explanations (note: '2014' is the paper's publication year per Nature Communications / Crossref metadata (audit:sources --cite), not text in the abstract itself) |
| no consistent link between striping and camouflage, predator avoidance, cooling, or social interaction | there is no consistent support for camouflage, predator avoidance, heat management or social interaction hypotheses |
| most measures of striping tracked how much tabanid flies, such as horseflies, were likely to pester the animals in each range | significant associations between our proxy for tabanid biting fly annoyance and most striping measures (note: 'such as horseflies' glosses 'tabanid' for young readers (tabanids are the horse-fly family); 'were likely to pester' renders the abstract's 'proxy for ... annoyance') |
| belly stripe numbers tracked where tsetse flies live | between belly stripe number and tsetse fly distribution |
| according to the first systematic test of the idea | Despite over a century of interest, the function of zebra stripes has never been examined systematically. Here we match variation in striping |
| A 2014 study compared striping across zebra, horse and ass species and subspecies to conditions across their ranges. | we match variation in striping of equid species and subspecies to geographic range overlap of environmental variables (note: '2014' is the paper's publication year per Nature Communications / Crossref metadata (audit:sources --cite), not text in the abstract itself) |
| It found no consistent support for camouflage, predator avoidance, staying cool, or social interaction | there is no consistent support for camouflage, predator avoidance, heat management or social interaction hypotheses |
| most measures of striping were linked to how much biting flies were likely to bother animals in their range | significant associations between our proxy for tabanid biting fly annoyance and most striping measures |

## Courbin et al. (2018). Zebra diel migrations reduce encounter risk with lions at night. Journal of Animal Ecology.

https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12910

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| In Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, researchers found that plains zebras graze on open grassland near waterholes by day, where they can easily spot predators, then move a few kilometers away at sunset, when lions become active | We investigated whether plains zebras Equus quagga perform DM in Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe). There, zebras can forage in large patches of open grasslands located near waterholes where they can also easily detect predators ... Zebras forage near waterholes during the day but move away from them at sunset, when lions become active. We demonstrated that this DM, occurring over a few kilometres |
| That move sharply cuts their risk of meeting lions at night | dramatically reduces their night-time risk of encountering lions |
| Partly by keeping out of lions' way at night. | they are there at high risk of encountering their main predator, lions Panthera leo, especially at night. We found out that zebras employ a DM anti-predator strategy. |
| Zebras studied in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park forage in open grassland near waterholes by day, where they can easily spot predators, then move away at sunset, when lions become active | We investigated whether plains zebras Equus quagga perform DM in Hwange National Park (Zimbabwe). There, zebras can forage in large patches of open grasslands located near waterholes where they can also easily detect predators ... Zebras forage near waterholes during the day but move away from them at sunset, when lions become active. |
| This move, over a few kilometers, sharply cuts their night-time risk of meeting lions, which generally stay close to waterholes | We demonstrated that this DM, occurring over a few kilometres, dramatically reduces their night-time risk of encountering lions, which generally remain close to waterholes. |

## Equus burchellii. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Equus_burchellii/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| from the Serengeti-Mara to Namibia | with the highest population densities in the Serengeti-Mara plains of Kenya and Tanzania... as far west as Namibia |
| in a pattern unique enough to work as an ID card for every zebra in the herd | Each individual's stripe pattern is unique and acts as an identifying characteristic similar to fingerprints in human beings. |
| One of the main theories is that they protect against predators, for example by making it hard to single out one zebra from a herd | Four main theories have been purposed to explain the evolution of zebra stripes. The first theory states that these stripes have an anti-predatory function. ... This blending also makes it more difficult for predators to single out individuals from the herd. |
| A pattern no two zebras share | Each individual's stripe pattern is unique and acts as an identifying characteristic similar to fingerprints in human beings. (note: blockquote lead-in paraphrases ADW's 'unique ... similar to fingerprints' as 'no two zebras share') |
| from the Serengeti-Mara plains of Kenya and Tanzania to Namibia | with the highest population densities in the Serengeti-Mara plains of Kenya and Tanzania... as far west as Namibia |
| Lions, spotted hyenas, African wild dogs, cheetahs, leopards and Nile crocodiles hunt plains zebras | Known Predators lions (Panthera leo) spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) leopards (Panthera pardus) Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) |

## Zebra. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/zebra

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A zebra foal learns its own mother's stripe pattern from birth to stay close to her | Foals must recognize their mother from birth to survive. A foal learns its mother’s stripe pattern to stay close to her. (note: SDZ's foal passage covers zebras in general, so the sentence says 'a zebra foal', not 'a plains zebra foal') |
| mares usually will not adopt another mare's foal, so no one else would feed it | Mares usually do not adopt other foals, so there would be no chance of getting food from anyone but Mom. |
| A zebra foal learns its mother's stripe pattern to stay close to her | A foal learns its mother’s stripe pattern to stay close to her. (note: SDZ covers zebras in general; the FAQ asks about 'a zebra foal' to match) |
| mares usually do not adopt other foals, so no one else will feed it | Mares usually do not adopt other foals, so there would be no chance of getting food from anyone but Mom. |
| Mothers often move a short distance away from the herd so their foals can imprint on them | Mothers often separate from the herd a short distance so that their foals can imprint on them. |
| return to the herd once the foal can readily identify its mother | Once a foal can readily identify its mother, the mare and her foal return to the herd for protection. |
| Each zebra's stripe pattern is unique, which also helps researchers tell individual zebras apart. | Zebra stripes are unique to each individual—a fact that helps researchers identify individual zebras. |

## Plains Zebra. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.

https://www.marylandzoo.org/animal/plains-zebra/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| a coat as unique as a fingerprint | Each zebra has a distinct pattern of stripes, as unique as a person’s fingerprints. |
| Mostly short grasses | They eat mostly short grasses, but other vegetation as well. |
| wildebeest and gazelle tend to move in after zebras trample and shorten the grass | Wildebeests and gazelles tend to move in only after Plains zebra have trampled and shortened the grasses. |
| stands up to 59 inches (1.5 meters) at the shoulder | Up to 59 in (1.5 m) at shoulders |
| weighs 500 to 800 pounds (227 to 363 kilograms) as an adult | HOW MUCH THEY WEIGH 500‑800 lbs (227‑363 kg) (note: Maryland Zoo prints the range with non-breaking hyphens: '500‑800 lbs (227‑363 kg)') |
| moments after birth it can stand, walk and suckle | Moments after birth, a zebra foal is able to stand, walk, and suckle. (note: Maryland's current plains zebra page wins over ADW 2009's 'Within 10 or 15 minutes') |
| A plains zebra typically lives 15 to 20 years | HOW LONG THEY TYPICALLY LIVE 15‑20 yrs |
| Every plains zebra's stripes are as individual as a fingerprint | Each zebra has a distinct pattern of stripes, as unique as a person’s fingerprints. |
| Plains zebras eat mostly short grasses | They eat mostly short grasses, but other vegetation as well. |
| plains zebras are often the first grazers to move into a well-vegetated area | Plains zebra are often the first grazers to enter a well-vegetated area. |
| wildebeest and gazelle tend to move in only after zebras have trampled and shortened the grass | Wildebeests and gazelles tend to move in only after Plains zebra have trampled and shortened the grasses. |
| Plains zebras live in family groups of one stallion, one or more mares and their young | The Plains Zebra is very social and lives in family groups made up of a single stallion, one or more mares, and recent offspring. |
| families sometimes band together into large herds | family groups will sometimes band together to form large herds |
| Big numbers mean more eyes watching for predators | Large numbers reduce the likeliness of any individual animal being attacked and also guarantee more eyes watching for predators. |
| members of a group take turns standing watch | Individual members of a group will take turns standing watch. |
| Members of a group may try to bite or kick attacking predators to protect foals and herd mates, but a zebra's most reliable defense is to flee | Members of the group may try to bite or kick attacking predators in order to protect foals and other herd mates. The zebra’s most reliable defense, though, is to flee! |

## Equus quagga. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database.

https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Equus_quagga

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A newborn foal weighs about 32 kilograms | Weight at birth 32,000 g (note: 32,000 g = 32 kg; AnAge (build 15, 2023) is current, ADW's 2009 account is not) |
| the oldest verified individual, born wild and later kept in captivity, lived to about 38 | One wild born specimen of the /burchellii/ subspecies was about 38 years old when it died in captivity [ 0671 ]. Reports of animals living 40 years in captivity have not been confirmed. |

## Zebra. African Wildlife Foundation.

https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/zebra

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| a yearly Serengeti trek of around 2,900 kilometers | Every year, hundreds of thousands of zebras gather up their young and begin the long journey from Tanzania’s Serengeti plains, north to Kenya. This annual trek to find food and water covers a distance of around 2,900 kilometers (note: scoped to the Serengeti herds, as AWF gives it) |
| Usually treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands across eastern and southern Africa | They have a wide range in east and southern Africa. They usually live in treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands |
| sometimes leaves and young trees | sometimes even eating leaves and young trees |
| A "pioneer grazer" | considered to be "pioneer grazers" |
| they are not picky eaters | The zebra is not a picky eater. |
| They sometimes eat leaves and young trees too | they eat a wide variety of different grasses, sometimes even eating leaves and young trees |
| as a result can range more widely than many other species, often venturing into woodlands | As a result, they can range more widely than many other species, often venturing into woodlands. |
| They are considered "pioneer grazers" | They are considered to be "pioneer grazers" |
| Native to more than 15 African countries | Native to over 15 African countries |
| they usually live in treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands and are absent from deserts and rainforests | They usually live in treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands and are absent from deserts, rainforests, and wetlands. (note: wetlands left out on purpose: the Maryland Zoo page says plains zebras 'venture into woodland and marshy areas as well') |
| Every year, hundreds of thousands of them set off from Tanzania's Serengeti plains north to Kenya, on a trek of around 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) to find food and water | Every year, hundreds of thousands of zebras gather up their young and begin the long journey from Tanzania’s Serengeti plains, north to Kenya. This annual trek to find food and water covers a distance of around 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) |
| the momentum of the Serengeti's zebra herds, which trek around 2,900 kilometers a year to find food and water | Every year, hundreds of thousands of zebras gather up their young and begin the long journey from Tanzania’s Serengeti plains, north to Kenya. This annual trek to find food and water covers a distance of around 2,900 kilometers |