Hartmann's Mountain Zebra

Species: Hartmann's Mountain Zebra
Habitat: Mountain slopes and open grasslands
Status: Vulnerable
DAK Locale: Animal Kingdom Lodge

The mountain zebra is found along the mountains of south western Africa. They feed on the grasses, shrubs and leaves from the more arid portions of the region. They do prefer higher elevations but will move down the slopes for grazing and have been known to seek shelter from the cold in forests.

Compared to plains zebra, the mountain variety live in much smaller groups. Typically, there is only one male, along with a up to five females and foals.  The male  will control the group until a bachelor overthrows him.  The other males live in their own separate bachelor-only groups.

Mountain zebras are divided amongst two subspecies, the Cape and the Hartmann's (which are found at the Animal Kingdom Lodge). The Hartmann's mountain zebra are found in the extreme southwestern part of Angola as well as western Namibia. They average 7 to 8.5 feet in height and can  weigh up to 800 pounds. This type of zebra have particularly strong hooves for climbing. Coloration is the same as other zebra except their bellies are white with one black stripe.

The mountain zebra is considered vulnerable. There are only about 7000 Hartmann's mountain zebras left in the wild. Hunting has been the biggest problem as locals are concerned about competition with domestic animals needing the same grasslands. Droughts have also hastened the decline of the species.

Plains Zebra

Species: Plains Zebra
Habitat: African Plains
Status: Low risk
DAK Locale: Kilimanjaro Safari

The Plains zebra, also known as the common zebra, are, well, the most common species of zebra. They are located in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa. There they eat mostly grasses but will consume any available vegetation. Generally, they are smaller than other zebra species, the Mountain and Grevy's.

When one sees a zebra, the first thing one notices is, of course, the stripes. No one is quite sure why the animal has stripes. The most widely accepted theory is confusion. When a herd of striped zebras are running across the savanna, it may be difficult for a lion or hyena to distinguish when one animal begins and the other ends, making it difficult for the predator to get a "bead on" the prey. Another theory is that the stripes help regulate body temperature of the animal.

In the wild, zebras will mix freely with other hoofed stock such as wildebeests. The more animals that are together the more likely a lion will be spotted. A herd consists mostly of one male and numerous breeding females and their young. Here, at the Animal Kingdom, the herd is all female. The mares, or females, have a social structure within the group, with an alpha female leading the group. When a new female enters the herd, they are usually met with aggression and need protection from the male. Other harem-less males will attempt to steal females from herds leading to fighting.

Generally, the plains zebra population is stable world wide, although in some areas there has been a significant decline. There are threats from hunting for the hide and meat. In other areas, farming has encroached on the habitat. Recent civil wars in countries such as Rwanda and the Sudan, have local decreases.