06/04/2026
Zebras, or pundamilia (striped donkey) in Swahili. One of the iconic animals of Africa – there is no mistaking the striking black-and-white stripes on the Serengeti plains.
All zebras are dark-skinned animals. The zebra’s stripes arise from melanocytes (specialized skin cells) that selectively determine the pigmentation of the animal’s fur. These cells transfer melanin (a skin-darkening pigment produced by melanocytes) into some of the animal’s growing hairs. Hairs that contain melanin appear black, whereas those without melanin appear white.
The plains zebras found in Tanzania have wide stripes that are widely spaced; some subspecies have lighter “shadow stripes” between the main stripes. The northern subspecies are more fully striped than the southern ones, in which the striping of the lower legs tends to give way to white. Where stripes converge on the shoulders, all zebras have triangular chevrons.
Like the horse, the plains zebras live in small family groups consisting of a stallion and several mares with their foals. The females that form the harem are unrelated. The harem remains intact even when the stallion leading the harem is replaced by another male. When moving, stallions usually remain in the rear but still maintain control over the movement of the herd.
With plentiful food, small groups may coalesce into large herds, but the smaller groups still retain their identities. Zebras often form mixed herds with other mammals such as wildebeests and giraffes, which gain protection from predators by the alertness of the zebras. Zebras with young colts avoid predators by forming a cluster around the mother and young rather than bolting.
