As horses grew larger, however, the architecture of the big toe bone changed. The bone of the digit carrying the load moved further from the center of the foot and grew thicker, helping it to resist bending and breakage.
This finding backs up to the latest theories on why horses grew larger and lost their toes. The creature lost a front toe due to natural selection , creating a hoof-like claw that likely had a pad on the bottom. As the climate changed, opening vast grasslands in the region, early horses moved onto the plains, with selective pressure leading to a larger body mass.
Their hard hooves are designed to withstand the impact of their body weight and to run easily over rocky ground. When resting at night, zebras lie down while one stands watch to prevent an ambush.
Stripes: White with black or black with white? This is one of the most-asked questions about zebras. So what's up with the stripes? Zebras are generally thought to have white coats with black sometimes brown stripes. That's because if you look at most zebras, the stripes end on their belly and toward the inside of the legs, and the rest is all white.
However there had to be a catch, right? And as it turns out, zebras have black skin underneath their hair. So it depends on how you look at it! So, why the stripes? They serve as a kind of protection from predators! When zebras are grouped together, their combined stripes make it hard for a lion or leopard to pick out one zebra to chase. Different zebra species have different types of stripes, from narrow to wide. In fact, the farther south on the African plains you travel, the farther apart the stripes on the zebras get!
The basic form of zebras—a large head, sturdy neck, long legs, a dorsal stripe along the spine and down a tasseled tail, and bristly mane—is universal.
No zebra, or other wild equid, has a forelock. Horses have longer legs in relation to their body than zebras. Horses have whithers and a sloping back, perfect for fitting a saddle. Zebras have no withers, and their back is straight, more similar to a donkey than a horse.
Zebras may look peaceful grazing open ranges, but under their calm exterior is a warrior. They fight each other for dominance over herds, and to protect themselves from predators. When escape is not possible, zebra herds collect themselves and get into battle formation, which is a semi-circle facing the predators. Their powerful kicks can cause severe damage and even death to some would-be attackers. Zebra stallions fight for dominance of a herd.
When a young stallion stops being submissive to the herd leader and attempts to mate with females, the leader will fight ferociously to keep their mares to himself. When a stallion challenges the dominant male, it can turn into a bloody battle. They kick with their powerful hind legs and tough, sharp hooves that easily cut through animal hide. They also use their front legs and sharp teeth to damage their opponent.
Zebras are also known to kill their babies out of meanness. Overall, zebras are aggressive and mean animals that attack when threatened. The annual exotic animal races at the fairgrounds was a fun family day. Zebras eat mostly grass and will travel up to 1, miles in search of food, according to the African Wildlife Foundation. Some zebras also eat leaves and twigs.
Female zebras carry their young for a gestation period of 12 to 14 months. Baby zebras are called foals. When they are born, foals weigh around 55 to 88 pounds 25 to 40 kg , according to the San Diego Zoo. Soon after birth, foals are able to stand up and walk. The young zebra gets its nutrition from its mother's milk and will continue to nurse throughout its first year. Zebras become fully mature at 3 to 6 years old and will have a lifespan of around 25 years.
Some experts say that there are three species of zebras — Grevy's zebra, plains zebra and mountain zebra — and that Hartmann's zebra is a subspecies of mountain zebra. Other experts say Hartmann's zebra is a separate species.
Likewise, the IUCN says a study of 17 plains zebra populations that represented five of the six subspecies found very little differentiation among them and concludes that the subspecies splits may be arbitrary. ITIS, however, lists six subspecies of plains zebra. Each species of zebra has its own conservation status. According to the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species, the plains zebra is not endangered , while the mountain zebra is considered vulnerable and the Grevy's zebra is endangered.
The Red List also lists Hartmann's zebra as a subspecies of mountain zebra as vulnerable.
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