Young zebras. Habitat and Lifestyle

Zebras are the animals of a group of ungulates, which are represented by a small group. Horses and wild donkeys are the closest relatives of zebras, and tapirs and rhinoceroses are their more distant ancestors.

The animal has a restless and malicious disposition, it is very difficult to tame. Up to three years the female takes care of her baby.

Reproduction

Giving offspring zebras can all year round, but the most favorable period is the rainy season. Stallions who drive flocks, during the rut, guard their herds from single males. Often there are marriage fights, mostly they are of a ritual character, during which the males, standing on their hind legs, hit each other with hoofs.

The harem of the male consists of 5-6 mares, the pregnancy of which lasts 13 months. By one and a half years the zebra can live independently and is finally ready for sexual relations.

To the appearance of the baby, the body matures it only three years after birth. The young zebras appear every three years. Reproductive abilities of a zebra persist until the age of eighteen.

The birth of a cub

Zebra gives birth to only one, but very large and developed baby. Many, and especially children, often ask: is the zebra baby called? A zebrenock or a zebrik? In fact, it is called a foal, and a few cubs are foals.

The born baby weighs 30 kg, and after about 10 minutes the newborn is standing on his own. After 20 can start walking, and after 40 minutes already jumping near the mother.

With milk, young zebras eat for more than a year, although seven days after birth, they can independently pluck the grass. Milk of a zebra unusual pink color. Special nutrients that are contained in it, contribute to the good work of the intestines of foals and protect them from a large number of diseases.

After birth, the mother blocks her baby from other zebras so that he can remember his mother's unusual pattern and could not mix it with other animals.

In case of threat, she hides him in the herd, where the rest of the zebra helps her to protect the baby. Despite this, half of the newborn foals die from predators: lions, hyenas and crocodiles.

Newborn zebra babies have a brown or black color. Specific bands appear four months after birth.

Years later, the mare or stallion becomes an adult and leaves the mother.

Habitat and Lifestyle

Zebras can be found only in Africa. They exist only 3 types: savanna, plain and mountain, the names correspond to their permanent place of residence. Quagga - this is the fourth species that was exterminated by man before the beginning of the twentieth century.

Life expectancy of a zebra at will is up to 30 years. In zoological gardens, animals can live to the age of forty. They perfectly adapt to life in the zoo and give offspring. So, in one of the zoos in England, a zebra named Nadin first in front of the visitors gave birth to a baby. Everything happened calmly and quickly. But the name of the baby zebra Nadin, until you could not find out.

Zebras live by uniting in herds. They are formed when a young stallion searches for a female, then a few more mares adjoin them, and they remain together until the end of life.

Individuals of the family herd identify their relatives even at a great distance by smell, voice and striped patterns. The young zebras are always under the care of the herd. Animals communicate with each other with barking sounds and neighing.

Food

The zebra is a very voracious animal. They eat a huge amount of plant food. In the course everything goes: various grass, bushes, twigs and bark of trees, leaves. After such a plentiful meal, they drink up to 10 liters of water a day, often visit watering holes.

The zebra is a hardy animal, runs around pretty quickly, knows how to stand up for himself, but a child who is often born can not protect against predators.