In a harem, the members often scrape and nip along the back, neck, shoulders, using their lips and teeth. Interestingly, these equines strengthen their social bonds by grooming each other. In case one zebra is attacked, the other members of the herd would encircle the predator along with the victim for the purpose of protecting it. When attacked by predators, the female zebras would run with the babies, with the males trailing behind for defending them. If the signal is not heeded, the fight that ensues is often violent, ending in biting each other’s legs, heads, necks, and characteristic kicks, resulting in the defeat of one of them. If a male is challenged by another, it would initially display a warning signal by rubbing its nose or shoulders against the attempting invader. It is the duty of the leader stallion to defend its own group from other males, which often results in fights. Sometimes a stallion will lie still on the ground as if surrendering, but once the other male lets up, will strike and continue the fight. Zebra fights often become very violent, with the animals biting at each other’s necks, heads or legs, wrestling to the ground, and occasional kicking. If the warning is not heeded, a fight breaks out. When challenged, the stallion issues a warning to the invader by rubbing nose or shoulder with him. Known as the ‘harem’, one family can form a group with many other harems, eventually forming a large herd.Ī stallion will defend his group from other males. They live in small families with a typical family consisting of a stallion (male), several mares (females), and the juvenile zebras. Considering their habitats, this is actually a necessity in order to stay safe from frequent predator attacks. This kind of multi-level social organization is unusual with ungulates, and is a characteristic more common to primates, such as baboons. The Zebras are extremely gregarious, living in large groups with a complex social system.
Quagga, ( Equus quagga quagga) Behavior and Social Structure
There are six distinctly recognisable subspecies of the plains zebra:īurchell’s zebra ( Equus quagga burchellii)Ĭhapman’s zebra, ( Equus quagga chapmani)Ĭrawshay’s zebra, ( Equus quagga crawshayi) Plains Zebra Habitat Classification of Species
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