Protecting Zebras from Extinction
The Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock was proclaimed in 1937 to protect some of the last remaining members of mountain zebra.
The Park is situated in the Cape Midlands, in a transition vegetation zone between the Karoo shrublands and eastern grasslands. The park was set aside in 1937 to prevent the Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra) from following its brother the quagga down the road to extinction.
Only five stallions and one mare lived on the original expropriated farm and after one year a filly was born. By 1945 only two stallions remained, but some neighbouring farms still had small herds and 40 more zebra were driven into the park over the next few years. During this time more land was bought up for the park.
Distinguishing Zebras
What's the difference between a Burchell's or Plains zebra, and a mountain zebra? Burchell's is the most common and its stripes fade on the lower legs. The mountain zebra is smaller, though its ears are larger, has a white belly and bolder stripes, but lacks shadow stripes.
Mountain zebra are smaller and stockier than Burchell's zebra, but the key to identifying them is in the pattern of their stripes. Firstly, the stripes over the spine, from the front of the pelvis to the base of the tail, form a characteristic grid-iron pattern, and secondly, the three upper stripes on the rump are very broad and have no shadow stripes between them.