Zebras belong to the horse family. They look like horses and donkeys. They have black and white stripes all over their bodies. Every zebra has a different pattern. (You can tell a zebra by the pattern on its coat.() Their ears are long and sensitive. The eyes are set high on the sides of the head. They can see all around to spot danger. The large snout gives the zebra a very keen sense of smell. The zebras long slender legs allow it to run fast in open country. A zebra only has one toe on each foot. If the hair on a zebra's head flops down the zebra is sick. If it stands up, the zebra is healthy. The zebras long jaws have sharp front teeth. Zebras are colour blind and they are very fast.  Zebras have white ears. Zebras live up to 20 years old.

Zebras live in Africa. Each type of zebra lives in a slightly different habitat. Plain Zebras are found in east Africa. Plain zebras prefer savannah where scattered trees on the grassy plains provide shade during the day. Mountain Zebras live in Southern and South West Africa. They live higher up in the hills where it is cooler. Grevy's zebras live in Ethiopia, Somalia and northern Kenya. They are found in much drier almost desert like habitats of grass and scrub. In tropical Africa long dry periods are followed by spells of heavy rain. Zebras must travel great distances to find food and water in the dry season.They come together in large groups called herds. This helps to keep them safe from enemies. Older more experienced zebras lead the herds and show the others where to find water and fresh grass. Zebras are mostly found in grass lands and woodlands. When you take a trip to the zoo you will find zebras. They also live near lakes to take a drink. They live in hot places where the sun is. 

Plain zebras spend most of their life eating. They mainly feed on grass and leaves. It chews the grass and grinds it up with its back teeth. Zebras will graze for most of the day. There is very little nutrition in grass so that means zebras eat a lot of it. When zebras live in the zoo or safari parks they get food supplements from their keepers.

Zebra foals are born afer 11 to 12 months. The young zebra can stand shortly after being born. They are also able to run about only after an - hour. After a few weeks foals remain quite close to their mothers. The foal will leave the herd between 13 to 37 months after their birth. For at least two days the mother keeps other zebras away fom her new born foal.

A zebra is very protactive over it's family especially young foals that are just born. Zebras can also be quite friendly at times. Zebras can get very nervous around different areas You can tell this because they stick their head in the air. Zebras can get startled very easily.  

   Zebras can sense when somethng is wrong. A zebra will get hunted by carnivores they are things that eat meat. Lions,tigers, cheetahs,leopards and jaguars are the main predators of the zebra. When a zebra is being hunted they can run up to speeds of 30mph.One thing is that when a herd runs together a predator get confused by the swirling black and white stripes.

  The Cape quagga was a type of zebra from Southern Africa. It was yellow-brown with stripes only on its head neck and shoulders. Quaggas were shot by farmers who wanted to take the grasslands for their cattle. The last quagga died in 1874. Foals have legs almost as long as adults, so that one hour after birth it is able to run fast enough to keep up with the herd. If on zebrain the herd is lost all of the herd will go around calling untill it is found. You canget different types of zebras like plains zebras, mountain zebras and grevy's zebras. Zebras are kept with giraffes in zoos as they get along together. Zebras have given their name to the markings on the road, we call them zebra crossings.