View source for Grant's zebra

{{Short description|Subspecies of zebra}}
{{subspeciesbox
| name          = Grant's zebra
| image         = Equus quagga.jpg
| image_caption = At the [[Hell's Gate National Park]], [[Kenya]]
| status        = 
| genus         = Equus
| species       = quagga
| species_link  = Plains zebra
| subspecies    = boehmi
| authority     = [[Paul Matschie|Matschie]], 1892
| synonyms =''Equus quagga zambeziensis''<br><small>(Prazak, 1898)</small>
}}

'''Grant's zebra''' ('''''Equus quagga boehmi''''') is the smallest of the seven [[subspecies]] of the [[plains zebra]]. This subspecies represents the zebra form of the [[Serengeti]]-[[Masai Mara|Mara]] ecosystem and others across central Africa.

==Distribution==
[[File:Grant's_Zebras,_resting,_Serengeti.jpg|thumb|left|Female with foal, resting, [[Serengeti]], [[Tanzania]]]]
This subspecies is distributed in [[Zambia]] west of the [[Luangwa River|Luangwa]] river west to [[Kariba (District)|Kariba]], [[Katanga Province]] of the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], north to the Kibanzao Plateau, and in [[Tanzania]] north from Nyangaui and [[Kibwezi]] into southwestern [[Kenya]] as far as Sotik. It can also be found in eastern Kenya and east of the [[Great Rift Valley, Kenya|Great Rift Valley]] into southernmost [[Ethiopia]]. It occurs as far as the [[Juba River]] in [[Somalia]].

==Upper Zambezi zebra==
Duncan (1992)<ref name="Duncan 1992">Duncan, P. (ed.). 1992.''Zebras, Asses, and Horses: An Action Plan for the Conservation of Wild Equids''. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN/SSC Equid Specialist Group.</ref> recognized the Upper Zambezi zebra (''Equus quagga zambeziensis'' [[Josef Prokop Pražák|Prazak]], 1898<ref>{{cite journal| journal=Annales historico-naturales Musei nationalis Hungarici| volume=105| year=2013| pages=247–257| title=Type series of Equus quagga zambeziensis (Mammalia: Perissodactyla: Equidae)|author1=Mayer, T.| author2=Kispal, I.| author3=Cuisin, J.| author4=Csorba, G.}}</ref>). Groves and Bell (2004)<ref name="Groves and bell 2004">Groves, C.P. & Bell, H.B. 2004. "New Investigations on the Taxonomy of the Zebras Genus ''Equus'', subgenus ''Hippotigris''". ''Mammalian Biology''. 69: 182-196.</ref> came to the conclusion that the zebras from [[Zambia|West Zambia]] and [[Malawi]] cannot be distinguished cranially and that they differ only slightly from other northern plains zebras. The minor size difference does not justify a separate subspecific status for the Upper Zambezi zebra. Therefore, they combine these zebras with Grant's zebra (''Equus quagga boehmi'').

==Characteristics==
[[File:Grant's Zebra Lakeland, Florida.jpg|thumb|Grant’s zebra at Safari Wilderness in Lakeland, Florida]]
This northern subspecies is vertically striped in front, horizontally on the back legs, and diagonally on the rump and hind flanks. Shadow stripes are absent or only poorly expressed. The stripes, as well as the inner spaces, are broad and well defined. Northerly specimens may lack a mane. Grant’s zebras grow to be about 182 to 243 cm (6–8 ft) long and {{convert|120|to|140|cm|ft|abbr=on}} tall, and generally weigh about {{convert|300|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name=animalbytes>{{Cite web |title=ANIMAL BYTES - Grant's Zebra |work=SeaWorld/Busch Gardens ANIMALS |publisher=SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment |url=http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-bytes/animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/chordata/craniata/mammalia/perissodactyla/grants-zebra.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114235636/http://seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-bytes/animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/chordata/craniata/mammalia/perissodactyla/grants-zebra.htm |archive-date=November 14, 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=September 13, 2011 }}</ref>  The zebras live in family groups of up to 18 led by a single stallion.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|title=The Zoo {{!}} Grant's zebra|url=http://www.belfastzoo.co.uk/animals/grants-zebra.aspx|website=www.belfastzoo.co.uk|access-date=2020-05-25}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>  Grant’s zebras typically live 20 years.

==Regional extirpations==
Recent civil wars in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo]], [[Rwanda]], [[Somalia]], [[Sudan]], [[Ethiopia]], and [[Uganda]] have caused dramatic declines in all wildlife populations, including those of Grant’s zebra.{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}} It is now extirpated from [[Burundi]]. Civil war in [[Angola]] during much of the past 25 years has devastated its wildlife populations, including its once-abundant plains zebra, and destroyed the national parks administration and infrastructure. Consequently, Grant's zebra is probably extinct or nearly so in Angola, although confirmation will have to wait until future surveys are conducted.

More Grant’s zebras are in the wild than any other species or subspecies of zebras.  Unlike Grevy and mountain zebras, they are not endangered.<ref name=honolulu_zoo>{{Cite web |title=Grant's Zebra |publisher=Honolulu Zoo |url=http://www.honoluluzoo.org/zebra.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927064728/http://www.honoluluzoo.org/zebra.htm |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 1, 2011 }}</ref>  Grant’s zebras eat the coarse grasses that grow on the African plains, and they are resistant to diseases that often kill cattle,<ref name="auto"/> so the zebras do well in the African savannas. However, recent [[civil war]]s and political conflicts in the African countries near their habitats has caused regional extinction, and sometimes zebras are killed for their coats, or to eliminate competition with domestic livestock.<ref name=animalbytes/>

== Controversial Burchell's zebra introductions in Grant's zebra historical range==
From 2001 until 2016 the Kissama Foundation reintroduced wildlife in the Kissama National Park in Angola. The project was  dubbed Operation Noah's Ark. Amongst the animals, such as blue wildebeest, waterbuck, Cape giraffe, bush elephants, oryx [[gemsbok]], Livingstone eland, nyala and ostrich, were [[Burchell's zebra]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oxpeckers.org/2016/03/sa-breeders-buck-the-system-2/|title=SA breeders buck the system|first=Oxpeckers|last=Reporters|date=March 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=101oYIGhiEc  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/101oYIGhiEc |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=Video |website=www.youtube.com |date=28 November 2009 |access-date=2020-11-11}}{{cbignore}}</ref> And from 2017 until 2019 Wildlifevetsnamibia exported wildlife to the Democratic Republic of the Congo's capital city Kinshasa to introduce animals in [[Parc de la Vallée de la Nsele]] in partnership with [[Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wildlifevetsnamibia.com/documentation.html|title=Documentation|website=wildlifevetsnamibia.com|access-date=2020-11-11|archive-date=2020-03-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321195008/https://www.wildlifevetsnamibia.com/documentation.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Amongst the animals were golden oryx [[gemsbok]], impala, blue wildebeest, [[Kafue Lechwe|Kafue lechwe]], nyala, blesbok, red hartebeest, southern white rhino, Angolan giraffe, bush elephants and Burchell's zebras.  Both introductions are controversial since the park service bodies from both countries did not opt to obtain the native [[Grant's Zebra|Grant's zebra]] from for example countries as Zambia, Tanzania or Kenya.

In northwest and northeast Angola the Grant's zebra has been extirpated. But a small population remains in the DRC's [[Upemba National Park]]. The DRC thus now has populations of two different subspecies.

== Habitat ==
These animals prefer savanna woodlands and grasslands; they are not found in deserts, wetlands, or rainforests. The mountain variety lives in rocky mountainous areas. The availability of habitat for all species of zebras is shrinking, resulting in population decline.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}

== Diet ==
Zebras are exclusively [[Herbivore|herbivorous]]. Their diet is almost entirely made up of grasses, but they also eat leaves, bark, shrubs, and more.

Like all members of the horse family, zebras spend more time feeding than ruminant herbivores, such as antelope and wildebeest do.  This is because horses, including zebras, do not chew their cud.  Instead the cellulose in their food is broken down in their [[Cecum|caecum]].  This is not as efficient as the method used by ruminants but is more effective at breaking down coarse vegetation.  Hence although zebras must feed for longer each day than antelope and wildebeest do, they can consume grasses and other plants with higher fibre content or lower protein levels than ruminants can digest.<ref>{{Cite web|title=zebra {{!}} Size, Diet, & Facts|url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/zebra|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>

== Behavior ==
Grant's zebras, like many other zebras, are highly social creatures. They can frequently change herd structure, and will change companions every few months.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grant's Zebra |url=https://www.elpasozoo.org/animals/africa/grants-zebra/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=www.elpasozoo.org}}</ref>

== Reproduction ==
Female zebras can have one foal per year. Their gestation period is around 360–395 days long, depending on the species. The mother will protect her foal, and it can stand, walk, and run shortly after birth. This is especially important, as foals are vulnerable to predators. Foals will nurse from their mother for up to one year before being weaned.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Grants Zebras Florida.jpg|Mother and foal in [[Lakeland, Florida]]
File:Equus quagga boehmi (couple).jpg|Near Chilanga, [[Zambia]]
File:Grant's Zebra, fighting, Serengeti.jpg|Fighting, [[Serengeti]], [[Tanzania]]
File:Grant's Zebra, pregnant again, Serengeti.jpg|Pregnant, Serengeti, Tanzania
File:Grant's Zebra in Ngorongoro Crater.jpg|Grant's Zebra inside [[Ngorongoro Conservation Area|Ngorongoro Crater]] during the dry season.
File:AE petting zoo zebra.jpg|Grant's zebra in the Ark Encounter's Ararat Ridge Petting Zoo
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
*Moelman, P. D. 2002. [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090114114334/http://www.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2002-043.pdf ''Equids: Zebras, Asses and Horses. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan'']. IUCN/SSC Equid Specialist Group.){{Clarify|date=March 2012|reason=<nowiki>This is not a proper reference citation. Use [[Template:Cite web]] or similar to provide source details. Use <ref...> inline in the article (see [[WP:CITE]]) to source the specific facts provided by this reference.</nowiki>}}

{{Equus}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1369327}}

[[Category:Zebras]]
[[Category:Mammals of Kenya]]
[[Category:Mammals of Tanzania]]
[[Category:Mammals of Somalia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Zambia]]
[[Category:Mammals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]]