Burchell's zebra
The zebra is a distinctively striped horse that can be found all over eastern and southern Africa, but it is only seen in Uganda's Lake Mburo and Kidepo National Parks.
A southern subspecies of the plains zebra is called the Burchell's zebra (Equus quagga burchellii). Also known as the plains zebra, this animal has fading black and white stripes all over its body. Like a person's fingerprint, each zebra has recognizable stripes that are specific to them.
Their stripes are very broad, and they get wider and more horizontal as they get closer to the flanks and back of the body. Vertical stripes run from the neck to the forelimbs and continue into the short, straight-up mane. The limbs have stripes that are thinner and more horizontal, which continue to the hooves. Both the horizontal and vertical arrangement of facial stripes result in lovely patterns.
Although certain stripes may appear faintly dark or leave a brown "shadow" stripe in the white area, not all stripes are black and white.
Zebra behaviour
Burchells, like most plains zebras, live in tiny family groups. These can be harem or bachelor groups, with harem groups made up of one stallion and one to six mares and their most recent foals, and bachelor groups made up of two to eight unattached stallions.Males in bachelor herds are frequently the population's younger or older stallions, as they are unlikely to be experienced or powerful enough to defend breeding rights to a group of females from rivals. While in population gatherings, these small groups frequently assemble into bigger herds near water and food sources, yet they retain their individuality as family units.
"Zebras can recognize each other visually based on stripe patterns that are as distinctive to each zebra as a fingerprint is to a human. Zebras can visually recognize each other based on stripe patterns, which are as unique to an individual zebra as a fingerprint is to a human."
Zebra Diet
Zebras, unlike many other ungulates in Africa, do not require short grass to feed. Instead, they feed on a wide variety of grasses, including leaves and budding trees. As a result, they may spread their wings wider than many other species, frequently travelling into woodlands. They are "pioneer grazers," preparing plains for more specialised grazers that thrive on short, nutritious grass.
In Uganda, where can you see zebras?
Only Lake Mburo and Kidepo National Parks in Uganda have them.
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