Zebras That Make You Smile

What is it about Zebras that make you smile when you see them? Is it their distinctive white and black stripes, or their erect mohawklike manes, or is it the fact that they look and act so much like their relative the horse. I personally think it’s all of them above.

Zebras are usually very social animals that travel in larger herds consisting of a stallion, several mares, and their offspring. Zebras are typically 8 feet long and stand about 4 to 5 feet tall. They normally weigh in at about 660 pounds but some have been know to weigh as much as 900 pounds. Zebras can live up to 20 to 30 years in the wild and up to 40 in a zoo. Their gestation period is about 12 to 14 months depending on the species. When the foal is born they can weigh up to 55 to 88 pounds.

Now let’s talk about those famous stripes Zebras are so well known for. Did you know that zebras are actually black or dark colored animals with white stripes. Their stripes are as unique to them as our finger prints are to us. Some zebras actually have brown “shadow stripes” that are in between their white and black coloring. Most zoologists believe zebras stripes act as a camouflage mechanism. Their vertical stripes help them hide in the grass. I know this might sound ridiculous because grass is green, not black or white, but it's suppose to be effective against lions. Guess why? Lions are color blind and are zebras are their number one prey. Also a herd of zebra can confuse a predator, since seeing a huge mass of vertical stripes going in every direction when being chased makes it really difficult for a predator to focus on one individual.

The best attribute of the zebra has to be their sense, hands down. They have excellent eyesight and it is believed that they can actually see in color. They also have night vision, although it isn’t as advanced as their predators, but their great hearing makes up for that. Just like their relative, the horse, they can turn their ear in just about any direction. Along with their great eyesight and hearing they have an acute sense of smell and taste.

Now that you know a little about zebras and their stripes, I’ll leave you with a few more interesting facts about the zebra:

1. They can run up to 35 miles per hour
2. They communicate with each other with high pitched barks and whinnying.
3. They have also been heard snorting.
4. Lastly, after only an hour has passed after its birth, a foal (baby zebra) can already run.

Are you into zebras and would love to have a real one? If you couldn't have a real one, how about a zebra stuffed animal? We would love for you to check out our zebras in three different sizes by visiting PlushToySafari.com. Have a great day!

Resources:
Zebra Facts
http://www.kritterfacts.com/zebrafacts1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra