ANIMAL HIGHLIGHT

The Zebra found at Intrepid Ranch are the Grants Zebra  (Equus quagga boehmi) is the most numerous of the six subspecies of the plains zebra. It is named after James Augustus Grant, a 19th-century Scottish explorer. As of 2026, they remain a widespread "pioneer grazer" essential to the African savanna ecosystem.

Physical Characteristics

• Size: They stand approximately 4 to 4.5 feet at the shoulder and weigh between 500 and 700 pounds.
• Stripe Pattern: They are known for broad, well-defined black stripes on a white background that wrap around the belly and extend down the legs to the hooves. Unlike some other subspecies, they typically lack "shadow stripes".
• Unique Identity: Much like a human fingerprint, no two individuals have the same stripe pattern.
• Mane: They have a short, stiff, upright mane that is also striped. 

Habitat and Range

• Distribution: Found across eastern and southern Africa, including parts of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and South Sudan.
• Environment: They primarily inhabit grasslands, savannas, and open woodlands. They generally avoid deserts, rainforests, and permanent wetlands. 

Behavior and Diet

• Social Structure: They live in family groups called "harems," typically consisting of one dominant stallion, several mares, and their offspring. Young males form separate "bachelor herds".
• Diet: Exclusively herbivorous, they eat coarse grasses that many other grazers cannot digest. By removing these tough outer layers, they expose more nutritious vegetation for other animals like wildebeest and gazelles.
• Communication: They use sounds (braying, barking, snorting) and facial expressions to communicate.