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Zebras at the Zoo
In 2010, a pair of two-year-old male Grevy's zebras joined a six-year-old male at the Zoo’s Cheetah Conservation Station. All three zebras came from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and were sired by the same father. Here are some photos of the younger zebras.
Grevy's zebras are listed as endangered on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. The Zoo does not breed Grevy's zebras, housing only males with the intent to nurture them into adulthood. Interaction with other males is important to their development. The Zoo's zebras may be transferred to another zoo for breeding when they are mature and if their genetics and pedigree are recommended by the Species Survival Plan.
Male Grevy’s zebras are highly territorial. The two young males at the Zoo are pretty clear on the limits of their relationship with the six-year-old. Oftentimes, they ignore his antics, such as intimidating noises and posturing. The two young males are submitting to his dominant role to keep the tension and aggressive encounters at a minimum.
Now confined to northern Kenya and southern and eastern Ethiopia, Grevy’s zebras have faced one of the greatest range reductions of any African mammal. They no longer live in Somalia and Djibouti, and may be gone from Sudan as well. There may be fewer than 2,500 Grevy’s zebras in the wild.
Grevy's zebras appear more mule-like in appearance than other zebras because they have big heads, large and rounded ears, and thick, erect manes. In fact, many experts consider Grevy's zebras to be striped asses that are not closely related to other zebras. Their coats sport dazzling narrow stripes that wrap around each other in a concentric pattern and are bisected by a black stripe running down the spine.
Grevy's zebras grow up to nine feet long, weigh up to 990 pounds, and stand up to almost five and a half feet at the shoulder. In zoos, Grevy's zebras may live to about 20 years old; longevity in the wild is likely shorter.
