08/05/2022
ZEBRA BEHAVIOUR
Zebras are very courageous animals and are not afraid to confront predators. Zebras also have a powerful kick which can cause serious injury to a predator such as a lion, hyena or African wild dog.
Zebras are gregarious animals who congregate in herds of up to 1000 individuals. They live in family groups of between 5 – 20 individuals that consist of one stallion, a few mares and their young ones. These basic family groups stay together even when they do congregate into large herds. Zebras stay in these family groups for many years.
If one of the family group ever goes astray and is lost, the rest of the group will spend many days looking for it. If a member of the group becomes sick or is injured, the rest of the group will adjust its pace to accommodate it. When in these large herds, the stallion will spend most of his time chasing off other stallions from other family groups.
Each group of zebra have their own home range. The adult zebras are usually non-related as both female and male zebra leave their natal origin. Within each family group, the stallion will have mating rights to his mares. The mares within the family group become associated for life. When the mares produce foals, they have added protection from the stallion who is always ready to defend his mates and offspring.
Family groups will congregate with other family groups and bachelor herds to form larger herds, especially during migration. Within each individual family group, there is a female hierarchy. The longer the mare has been in the group, the more dominance she has. The alpha mare comes first, followed by her offspring. Then the second longest member comes next, with her offspring and so on.
While migrating, the group hierarchy will stay in this order and walk in single file for many miles. The stallions will either lead or follow at the rear of the herd. This is so they can protect the mares and foals from predators.
Most zebras are considered nomadic, without specific territories, except the Grevy’s zebra who mark their territories with urine and dung. Zebras communicate with each other with sounds and facial expressions. Zebras make loud braying or barking sounds and soft snorting or whuffling sounds.
The position of a Zebras ears and how wide open their eyes are and whether their mouths are open or their teeth are bared, all mean something. For example, when their ears are laid flat in a backwards position it means they mean business or to the other members of the group – ‘you had better follow orders’.
Social grooming also produces bonds between the mares. Zebras will use their teeth and lips to nibble along the neck, shoulders and backs of their grooming partners. Most grooming partners are friendly mares, mares and foals or siblings. Grooming also helps ease aggression and confirm social status within the groups.
Zebras tend to be more active during daylight. They spend their nights on short pastures where it is relatively safe from predator ambush. During the night, they will graze an hour or so at a time and move around very little. Other zebras sleep soundly, however, there is always one standing alert and on guard.
At daybreak in warm weather, zebra herds begin filing to pastures of longer grass and may cover many miles before settling for another night. Mass movements between pastures and sleeping grounds and to water at midday, are also peaks of social activity.
Zebras like to associate with other animals such as baboons, giraffes, impala and kudu, however, the most common association is between the zebra and the wildebeest. Unlike their closest relatives, horses and donkeys, zebras have not been truly domesticated.
