The zebra looks like a horse with black and white stripes. Its head and body are between six and a half and seven and a half feet long, and its tail is betwen 18-22 inches long. A zebra's height at the shoulder is three and a half to four and a half feet and it weighs between 550-750 pounds. Males are about 10 percent larger than females.

The zebra's coat is white with black stripes, although "reverse" colored zebras have been seen. There are three species of zebra:  Grevy's;  common or plains;  and mountain zebras. Each has a different pattern of stripes. The common zebra's stripe pattern varies depending on what part of Africa they come from. Generally, zebras from the Northern part of Africa have more striping (bolder stripes down to their hooves) while those from the Southern parts of Africa have less  striping ("shadow" stripes and white legs).

Zebras have strong incisors and can graze on tough grasses. Their eyesight is acute, which is typical for animals that live out on the open savanna. Their sense of smell is also good and their hearing is excellent.

Range
Common zebras are found throughout Africa from southern Ethiopia to central Angola and eastern South Africa.

Habitat
  Common zebras are found on the savanna, light woodland, open scrub and grasslands.

Diet
In the wild, zebras eat mainly grasses but they will also eat leaves, shoots, shrubs, buds, fruits and roots. They need to drink daily so they must risk a regular trip to a water hole.

In the Zoo, they eat Mazuri herbivore pellets, timothy hay, trace mineral salt bricks, and carrots as an occasional treat.

Life Span
In the wild, zebras live approximately 20 years.
In zoos, they can live almost  25 years.

Reproduction
Females achieve sexual maturity between age two and three  while males reach maturity at age four and five.  A single foal is born after a gestation period lasting between 11 and 13 months. Foals can stand within 20 minutes of birth and run with the herd within an hour. Although the youngster can graze within a few weeks, nursing continues for 8-13 months.

The mare keeps all other members of the group away from the foal until both mother and young are fully imprinted on each other. If this didn't occur, the foal could imprint on any large being including other zebras, other types of animals and even humans.

When danger threatens, the adults surround the youngsters for protection. Adult group members will also watch over the foals even when the mare is nearby. The family stallion is very protective and he will actively defend them when necessary.

Behavior
Zebras are diurnal (active during the daytime)  and crepuscular (active at twilight ) and they usually graze in the morning and late evening. They are highly social and the members of a group are tightly bound to each other. Herds of as many as 10,000 members are composed of smaller groups. There are bachelor groups of up to 10 males and permanent breeding groups of between 5 and15 stallions, females and young. Breeding groups are composed of non-related animals as both males and females leave their birth group when they become sexually mature. Common zebra herds are migratory and follow long established routes that lead them to the best grazing. By moving almost constantly, they do not completely deplete their food source in one particular area.

Zebras clean their bodies by rolling in mud or dust. When the mud dries, they shake it off along with loose hair and flakes of dry skin. The dust that remains on the skin acts as a barrier against heat, wind and insects. Zebras seldom seek shade.

Unlike animals whose color camouflages with the surroundings, zebras don't freeze in place when threatened. They depend on alertness, speed and the protection that comes from being in a large herd. When in flight zebras can gallop at 35 mph and reach 50 mph for short distances, and the blur of many striped bodies can confuse a predator.

While on the move, the pace is set by the slowest member of the group. This is to assure that the young, old or injured animals are not abandoned. If a member of the group does get separated, the stallion makes a great effort to find it and will search for it. Once a zebra gets separated from the herd for any reason, it becomes very vulnerable to predators.

Adaptations
Since common zebras live out on the open plains, their adaptations include their acute senses, color pattern, and speed. Zebras also have a layer of fat under their skin which is why it is very uncommon to see a skinny zebra. They need to look fit and healthy or they are vulnerable to such predators as lions who will target the weak.

Their legs and hooves are highly developed enabling the zebra to be a swift and strong runner. Zebras have a powerful kick which can be dangerous to a predator; a solid kick can injure or kill a lion.

Strong muscles and large lungs enable zebras to keep running for long distances without tiring or slowing down.

A zebra's stripes are such a unique and bold pattern that many scientists have tried to understand why they have them. A running herd of zebras seem to blend together and individuals are difficult to pick out. The stripes also afford protection on moonlit nights because in low light the stripes tend to blur and the outline is hard to see.  Some scientists also believe that the black and white pattern absorbs heat at different rates, creating skin level convection currents that help keep the zebra cool.