Zebra Species

There are three Species of Zebra.  All inhabit different areas, all have different chromosome counts.  There are subspecies in 2 of the types, only one Species in the third.  The SUBspecies (ie "Breeds") can intermate and produce viable offspring (such as a Grants/Chapmans cross), but the different SPECIES cannot. A cross between a Grevy's and a Damaraland would be a sterile hybrid, and the striping pattern would give it away as a hybridized zebra.  They are the Plains zebras (subspecies:  Grants (Bohms), Damaraland, Chapmans, Selous, Burchells (and the extinct Quagga).  Mountain Zebras have 2 sub-species, the Hartman Mountain Zebra and the Cape Mountain Zebra. The Grevy's, or "Abyssinian" is the third Species. There are no known Subspecies.

A Damaraland zebra (Plains subspecies)

A Chapman's (chapmani) Zebra, Plain Subspecies.

B-M-R Illusion (sadly, deceased) a Grant's Zebra Stallion.  also called the Common zebra, since the wild nubmers are higher, and it most commonly seen in zoos.

All of the Above are PLAINS zebras.  The more southern the sub-species, the greater the reduction in striping.   Therefore GRANTS range farther north than CHAPMANS.  (Photos soon of Burchells type and the extinct QUAGGA).

Barcode at 1 year, a Grevy's Zebra stallion

Note how different the stripes are on this type of zebra.  THe stripes are numerous, very narrow, and form a "bullseye" pattern over the rump.  They do not have the large"Sweeping" flank stripes of the Plain's types.  The ears are also very different, being large, open, and rounded.  The neck may be shorter, and there is a peculiar wither hump.

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