| Zebras (Lat. Hippotigris): are the subgenus of the genus horse, including species such as the Plains zebra, Grevy's zebra and Mountains zebra. The hybrid between zebras and domesticated horses are called Zebroids and between zebras and donkeys, Zebrules.
Features and classification:
Despite the general black-and-white stripe features, all the three species of zebras amongst themselves do not look like close relatives with regard to other horse species. For the extinct Quagga Zebra subspecies of the Plains zebra, stripes were limited only to the cervical region, at the same time, as some other absolutely unrelated species, also show an inclination to the formation of stripes on the legs, for example the okapi.
In the evolutionary relationship, the stripes possibly act as a camouflage mechanism against tsetse flies, whose eyes do not perceive the frequency of similar colors. According to another hypothesis, the stripes are also good masking from predators as due to the presence of stripes, it is difficult to assess the body outlines of an animal.
Habitat:
Initially zebras were widespread across all Africa. In North Africa, zebras were liquidated even in ancient times.
For the frequently found Plains zebras, the natural habitat includes the south of Sudan and Ethiopia, the savannah of East Africa and up to the south of the African continent. Grevy's Zebras are found in the arid savannahs of East Africa, in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. The mountains zebras are the least widespread species; its habitation is limited to the high mountainous plateaus of Namibia and the Republic of South Africa, where they are found at heights of up to 2000m.
Interesting facts:
* Actually zebras are white with black stripes or the other way round;
* Each zebra has a unique picture from the black and white stripes, like the finger prints of a person. According to the picture, the cub zebra can identify its mother.
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Zebra's distinct black and white stripes provided it with camouflage and survival for thousands of years. When zebra stands in high grass, its vertical stripes make the animal practically invisible for Zebra's main predator, lion, which is color blind. Zebras standing together in a herd also make it hard for predators to differentiate between individual animals when picking the one to attack.
Zebra's stripes have inspired many effective and creative designs - for instance the famous "zebra crossing" is even named after the zebra's black and white stripes.
