Stripes in motion: the zebra's tale

The zebra is a horse-like ungulate that is characterized by its distinctive vertical stripes. The most common species is the plains zebra, which is larger than the mountain zebra and smaller than the Grevy's zebra. Zebras have excellent hearing and eyesight, and can run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. They also have a powerful kick that can cause serious injury to predators.

Zebras are social animals that live in herds. The lead male, or stallion, sounds the alarm if danger is spotted and stays at the back of the group to defend against predators if necessary, while the mares (females) and foals (youngsters) run away. Zebras often trot when moving to new pastures, and 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.