Опис зебри на англійській мові

ebra is a stripedmember of the horse family. There are three species--the common zebra, Grevys zebra, andthe mountain zebra. They live in herds in the deserts and grasslands of eastern andsouthern Africa.

A zebra has alternating white and black or dark brown stripes. Each of the three speciesof zebras has a distinctive stripe pattern. In addition, much like fingerprints in humanbeings, no individual zebras stripes are identical to those of another zebra. The stripesmay help to keep herds of zebras together. Experiments have shown that from birth zebrasare attracted to objects with stripes. Zebras with abnormal stripe patterns are usuallynot allowed in the herd and seldom survive.

A zebra eats grass. It may also eat bark, leaves, buds, fruits, and roots. A zebra spendsmost of its time eating. The main enemies of zebras include lions, hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs. Zebras protectthemselves from predators by keeping together in the herd. At least one member of a herdremains alert to danger at all times. A zebras large ears rotate to locate sounds, andits night vision is as good as an owls. If attacked, a zebra usually tries to run away.Zebras can run at speeds of up to 40 miles (65 kilometers) per hour. Zebras may live up to22 years in the wild.

A zebra herd may range in size from a few individuals to several hundred. Most herdsinclude smaller groups that consist of a male, several females, and their young. Youngmales often form herds with no females.

Although zebras seldom fight, competition among males for a particular female during thebreeding season may become intense and involve pushing, biting, and kicking. Femalesbecome sexually mature at the age of 3 and may reproduce throughout the rest of theirlife. Most males begin mating at about 5 years of age.

The female zebra carries a single young, called a foal, inside her body for about a yearbefore giving birth. A newborn foal weighs 70 to 80 pounds (32 to 36 kilograms). It canstand within an hour after birth. In a few days, the young zebra begins eating grass. Itmay gain up to 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) a day for the next two months.

Zebras face an uncertain future in the wild. They must compete with ranchers and farmersfor grazing land and scarce water resources. Many zebras have been killed for their meatand their hides. Only the common zebra is still numerous. Both Grevys zebra and themountain zebra are endangered. A fourth kind of zebra, the quagga, became extinct in thelate 1800s.

Scientific classification. Zebras belong to the genus Equus in the horse family, Equidae.The scientific name for the common zebra is Equus burchelli.