Zebra
Two species of zebra dominate the wild plains of South Africa. They are the Plains or Burchell’s zebra and the mountain zebra. The different species inhabit different locations, as their name indicates. However, it is not uncommon for the two species to sometimes share habitats. The Grevy’s Zebra, a third species, can be found in East Africa.
Burchell’s Zebra
The Burchell’s zebra is the most common species found across South Africa and is categorised further into seven subspecies across its range. The extinct quagga was one of the subspecies of this zebra. Recently, a program has been implemented to bring back the quagga by using the DNA of the Burchell’s zebra. A number of successfully bred quagga looking zebra can be seen roaming the plains.
Mountain Zebra
The mountain zebras comprise of two subspecies known as the Cape mountain zebra and the Hartmann’s mountain zebra. As the name implies, these zebras can be found in the high lying mountainous regions within the Eastern and Western Cape provinces in South Africa and mountainous regions of Namibia. Mountain zebras are smaller than the Burchell’s zebra.
Interesting Zebra facts
Each zebra have individual stripe patterns, making them distinct from one another. The Burchell’s zebra is also the national animal of Botswana and appears the country’s coat of arms.
