Wildlife: Mammals -
Zebra 1/3
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Equus Burchelli, Burchell's Zebra, Bontsebra.
 Description
At first sight Burchell's zebra, or plains zebra, will not look any different
from other zebra kinds. It appears as a striped pony. At close look however it
can only be mistaken for mountain zebra. The stripes on the flanks run on the
belly. The belly is white with a single stripe along the middle in mountain
zebra. Stripes fade out on lower legs. With distinctive striping all the way
down with mountain zebra. On the rump there are usually chestnut or yellowish
shadow stripes in the middle of the white stripes. This does not occur with
mountain zebra. Each individual has its own unique pattern and aberrant patterns
occasionally occur. The muzzle is black. The ears of the Burchell's zebra are
smaller than the ears of the mountain zebra. There is a short mane down the back
of the neck and no dewlap. The tail has a whisk of long black hair on the end.
Females have one pair of mammae between their hind legs. Somewhat bigger than
the mountain zebra with shoulder heights of 137 centimetres in both males and
females. Weight reaches up to 340 kilogramms with males and 260 kilogramms with
females.
Habitat
Open woodland, scrub and grassland are the habitats of the
Burchell's zebra. This species is dependent on water and will
not move up to distances of 12 kilometres from it. This zebra is
the most common of zebra species.
Diet
The Burchell's zebra primarily feeds on grasses. Preferably
short green grass. It will however settle with long coarse
growths. Sometimes it will browse and at times it will eat
fire-scorched leaves and twigs of mopane trees. Being
unselective by nature they usually remain in good health in
comparison to other herbivores who are very selective on their
diet.
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