Zebra belong to the family Equidae, hoofed animals characterized by one toe. This includes all horses and horse-like animals of the world. This single hoof is probably an adaptation for fast motion on hard ground. Existing wild species include the Asian wild horse, Asian and African wild asses, and zebras (found only in Africa). Species of zebra include the Grevy’s zebra (E. grevyi), the mountain zebra (E. zebra), the extinct quagga zebra (E. quagga) [which was exterminated before the end of the 19th century], and the plains zebra (E. burchelli). The zebras at Woodland Park Zoo represent the southern population and are commonly referred to as Damara or Burchell's zebras.
While all zebras are easily identified by their dark and light stripes, each species of zebra has its own variation of striping. A Plains zebra has rather broad stripes, especially towards its rump. The color ranges from black to dark brown on a white to buff background. In some cases, there will be shadowing on the flank and rump between the dark and white striping. Although there is no color variation between the sexes, plains zebras do vary in color and pattern across their range. Moving from the north to the south of this specie's range, there is a tendency for the stripes on the hindquarters to become less well defined.
Other species of zebras exhibit varied striping as well. The Grevy's zebra has narrow and closely spaced stripes that cover most of the body and extend to the hooves. Mountain zebras tend to have narrower stripes on the body than the rump, with no shadowing on the flank and rump like plains zebra. Mountain zebras have faint stripes between darker stripes. The extinct quagga zebra often had very little striping at all, some being almost stripeless.
Are Zebras White with Black Stripes or Black with White Stripes?
Zebra skin color is mostly black, but what we see are rows of white and black hair. This question is something similar to "which came first, the chicken or the egg?"
2006-08-22 09:31:13
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answer #1
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answered by confused 4
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There are distinctive species of zebras. some zebras have wihte bodies with black stripes. some zebras have brown shadow stripes in between the white and black coloring. some are black or dark animals with white stripes and a huge white blotch below of their bellies for camouflage purpose. they're describe as black with white stripes fairly than white bodies and black stripes via fact of three motives. (a million). White equids does no longer proceed to exist properly interior the Africa Plains or wooded area. (2). The quagga, an extinct Plains zebra subspecies, had the zebra development interior the front of the animal, yet had a dismal rump. (3). while the area between the pigmented bands turns into too huge, secondary stripes finally end up to be if suppression grow to be weakening.
2016-11-05 08:41:41
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answer #2
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answered by ? 4
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The answer to this question comes down to perspective. Many zoologists would say that a zebra is white because its stripes end towards the belly and the belly is mostly white. Others would say that a zebra is black because if you shaved all the fur off a zebra the skin is mostly black. So it really depends on how you want to look at it.
2006-08-23 01:18:52
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answer #3
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answered by Bruce B 2
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most folks say that the zebra is black with white stripes, but I say they are white with black stripes and I am rarely wrong. I may not always be right, but I am rarely wrong.
2006-08-21 15:44:54
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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WHITE WITH BALCK STRIPES BECUASE IT JUST IS. YOU CAN TELL.
2006-08-21 21:30:51
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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It depends on if the watering hole it is drinking from is half-full, or half-empty I guess......
2006-08-24 12:34:50
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answer #6
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answered by TNixon7 1
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it is NOT really black. it is dark brown.
2006-08-22 01:57:36
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answer #7
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answered by zilber 4
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