Seeing Stripes

Hey everyone! Hoofstock Keeper Christina here with some interesting facts about our zebras!

 

Did you know that every zebra has a unique stripe pattern and that no two zebras look alike? We currently have two plains zebras on our African Savanna habitat- Wembe and Imara. Wembe, our male, is a little bit bigger and can be spotted by his much shorter tail, thicker and darker striped face, and more laid-back personality. Imara, our young female, has a long, beautiful tail, thin face stripes, little white tips on her ears, and is very spunky. She can often be seen running and bucking about the Savanna.

 

Plains zebras are the smallest species of zebra, with the other two species being the Grévy’s zebra and mountain zebra. All three species look quite different and have distinct stripe patterns, with plains zebras having stripes that wrap all the way around their bellies. These stripes are not just cool to look at- they also serve a purpose! Experts believe these stripes function as camouflage. When a herd of zebras walks across a terrain, it can be very difficult to distinguish one zebra from the next. To predators, it just looks like a sea of stripes, making it hard to spot just one individual. This can be especially beneficial to the most vulnerable in the herd.  Scientists also believe that stripes also help deter insects and the sun, acting like a natural sunscreen.

 

No matter the reason for their stripes, zebras are definitely one of the most stunning animals to come see here at the Zoo! See if you can spot the difference between our resident zebras next time you are visiting us here at the African Savanna habitat.