A safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda - October 2007

PLAINS ZEBRA
(Equus quagga)

We did not see any zebra in Queen Elizabeth National Park. However, on the way back to Kampala, we stopped outside Lake Mburo National Park. In the bush, we caught some Zebra in the wild.

Zebra are related to horses. Their manes are shorter and their teeth are suited to grazing on the plentiful grasses. Their coats are shiny and serve two purposes: the stripes make it hard for predators to see their bodies clearly defined, and their coats help dissipate the heat by 70% - very helpful on the African plains.

Females bond permanently with the first male to mate with them. Their young are protected by the mother, even from other members of the herd, for their first few days. All members of the herd will gather to encircle a wounded member, or work together whenever a predator is in the area.

Lions are color blind, which makes Zebra virtually invisible to them. Zebra have to worry about hyenas, leopards and cheetah as well, however.