Question: what is the difference between burchelli, damara and grants zebras, as they all are plains type zebras? What would happen if a grevy and burchelli were crossbred? Would the stripe pattern be totally different or would they just adapt to one of the parent's?

Answer: The Plains zebras are a sub-species - not unlike "horse" breeds. They can interbreed and have fertile offspring. The difference is in their striping pattern and range, not chromosomes. For example, you can breed an Arabian & Shetland and get a half-arab pony, still fertile. The same holds true with a Grants x Damaraland cross.

The Grevy's however is a different species, as donkeys are to zebras or horses. Their actual chromosome count is not the same as the Grants types (Types is used for Wild animals, Breeds for domestic ones) or the Mountain zebras. The offspring do have mixed patterns, but there are very few examples to work from. Many times the offspring are not viable and the mares don't carry to term. They are not as fertile in zebra/zebra hybrids as in horse/donkey hybrids, since the chromosome counts and possible relationship between the species is generally far more removed. (the Grevy's zebra has 46 chromosomes, the Mountain zebras has 32, while the plains hve 44. Interestingly, though the Grevy's seems to be the most primitive appearance-wise, chromosomally speaking, the Mountain zebra is the farthest removed genetically. Also, the Mountain zebra has a body type and pattern which appears to be median between Grevy's and Plains - ie sweeping stripes on rump, but partial gridiron and white belly like Grevy's - so could Mountain zebras be closer to a common ancestor?).

For more information, visit the ZEHBRA page.

(This Page last updated: March 10, 2002)