Equus burchelli

Zebras have individual patterns of stripes and no two animals are identical. Together in a herd the stripes may help blur the shape of an individual zebra and so make it difficult to be singled out by a chasing lioness.

Zebras are highly social, living in family groups of 5 to 20. They sometimes mass together in their hundreds to migrate over the plains in the dry season. Rival stallions fight fiercely by kicking and biting with their unusual pointed canines. These are also useful weapons in fending off predatory lions and hyaenas.

Although a member of the horse family (Equidae) their wild nature was prevented them from being domesticated.