Zebras
are members of the horse family, E. burchellii is the
most common. They are mid-sized and thick-bodied with relatively
short legs. Adults of both sexes stand about 1.4 metres high
at the shoulder, are approximately 2.3 metres long, and weigh
about 230 kg. Like all zebras, E.
burchellii
are boldly striped in black and white and no two individuals
look exactly alike. All have vertical stripes on the forepart
of the body, which tend towards the horizontal on the hindquarters.
E.
burchellii
prefer but do not require short grass to graze on. In consequence,
they range more widely than many other species, even into woodland,
and they are often the first grazing species to appear in a
well-vegetated area. They eat a wide range of different grasses,
preferring young, fresh growth where available, and also browse
on leaves and shoots from time to time.
They
are highly social and usually form small family groups consisting
of a single stallion, one, two, or several mares, and their
recent offspring.
E.
burchellii
are native to S and E Angola, N and E Botswana, SE Dem. Rep.
Congo, Kenya, N Namibia, SE Sudan, SW Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique,
S Somalia, South Africa (N KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga
Provs.; formerly more widespread, S to Orange River), Swaziland,
Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
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