In my school, we are learning about population. In this Unit, we have been studying a certain organism of our choice, and I chose the zebra. We compared them to their relatives, and we looked at their ancestors. We studied their traits and habitats, and we even hypothesized how the animals would do in different habitats. We went to the field museum, and we saw many different animals! We compared them, and we thought about how certain birds would do in different environments considering their traits. But we also went around the field museum to look for the ancestors of our organism that we chose. Another thing we have been doing in this unit is learning to calculate the standard deviations of ranges of things like height that apply to our organisms. I hope you like my blog post!
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"Zebra" by James F Clay is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 |
My organism, the zebra, originated from Africa. The zebra first emerged around 4 million years ago, and it is believed that it was the Grevy zebras that were the first species of zebra to emerge. Four million years ago is around when they were believed to first come about, and that was when the first Australopithecus evolved in East Africa. The zebras are native to central and southern Africa.
The zebras live in treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands. The Mountain zebras are from South Africa, Namibia, and Angola. The Plains zebra live in eastern and southern Africa. The Mountain zebras live more in rocky places.
"savanna woodland, Bagua Grande, N Peru, 2003-07-05 (1 of 1).jpg" by maholyoak is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
The most common zebra is:
Equus quagga (Plains zebra)
The rest are:
1. Equus grevyi (Grevy's zebra)
2. Equus hartmannae (Hartmann's zebra, Hartmann's mountain zebra)
3. Equus zebra (Cape mountain zebra, Mountain zebra)
Guiding questions:
- How much grass is in zebra's diets?
- What is the average/range for weight of baby zebras?
- How are zebras different from horses?
The zebra’s first introduction was 4 million years ago in central and southern Africa. The first zebra is believed to be the Grevy’s zebra. The Hagerman horse is more closely related to Grevy zebras than to horses, but they went extinct 10,000 years ago during the Pleistocene period. zebras got their stripes for reasons of camouflage and for certain insects to leave them alone. Then the Mountain zebras and the Plains zebras evolved after the Grevy’s zebra. The Mountain zebras are from South Africa, Namibia, and Angola. The Plains zebra live in eastern and southern Africa, in treeless grasslands and woodlands.
Zebras, Donkeys, Horses, and Przewalski's horses, all evolved from a common ancestor around 4 million years ago, the Hyracotherium. The Hyracotherium was an ancestor of horses, donkeys, and zebras.
"Hyracotherium vasacciense (fossil horse) (Huerfano Formation, Lower Eocene; Huerfano Basin, Colorado, USA) 1" by James St. John is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The zebra’s first introduction was 4 million years ago in central and southern Africa. The first zebra is believed to be the Grevy’s zebra. The Hagerman horse is more closely related to Grevy zebras than to horses, but they went extinct 10,000 years ago during the Pleistocene period. zebras got their stripes for reasons of camouflage and for certain insects to leave them alone. Then the Mountain zebras and the Plains zebras evolved after the Grevy’s zebra. The Mountain zebras are from South Africa, Namibia, and Angola. The Plains zebra live in eastern and southern Africa, in treeless grasslands and woodlands.
Zebras, Donkeys, Horses, and Przewalski's horses, all evolved from a common ancestor around 4 million years ago, the Hyracotherium. The Hyracotherium was an ancestor of horses, donkeys, and zebras.
"Hyracotherium vasacciense (fossil horse) (Huerfano Formation, Lower Eocene; Huerfano Basin, Colorado, USA) 1" by James St. John is licensed under CC BY 2.0
"Reconstruction of Hyracotherium vasacciense (fossil horse) (Huerfano Formation, Lower Eocene; Huerfano Basin, Colorado, USA)" by James St. John is licensed under CC BY 2.0
- How much grass is in zebra's diets?
Zebras have really good hearing, eyesight, and speed. They have a really powerful kick that can hurt predators badly. They trot to pastures, their hooves are designed to hold their body weight. zebras have black skin underneath their stripes. Their stripes are for confusing their predators. zebra stripes are different for each individual zebra, they have all different types of stripes. zebras are herbivores and they eat mostly grass. They also sometimes have leaves and twigs from bushes. They are one of the most successful herbivores. The zebras travel together in big groups a lot, as many as 10,000 zebras have been seen journeying together. Zebras are very social animals when they are with each other. Sadly, they have been hunted and exposed to diseases that almost made them extinct.
Zebras have really good hearing, eyesight, and speed. They have a really powerful kick that can hurt predators badly. They trot to pastures, their hooves are designed to hold their body weight. zebras have black skin underneath their stripes. Their stripes are for confusing their predators. zebra stripes are different for each individual zebra, they have all different types of stripes. zebras are herbivores and they eat mostly grass. They also sometimes have leaves and twigs from bushes. They are one of the most successful herbivores. The zebras travel together in big groups a lot, as many as 10,000 zebras have been seen journeying together. Zebras are very social animals when they are with each other. Sadly, they have been hunted and exposed to diseases that almost made them extinct.
- How are zebras different from horses?
Zebras are long-toed ungulates. They are all over different parts of Africa, but they are already extinct in two of their native countries, Lesotho and Burundi. Zebras can breed with horses because they are closely related to them, but zebras are actually more aggressive than horses. Zebras make sounds of horses, but also sounds of donkeys and mules. Their striped coats are great for keeping the sun from making them overheated in Africa. A group of zebras is actually called a dazzle, and together they sleep standing up. Many zebras go together and migrate very far.
Zebras are long-toed ungulates. They are all over different parts of Africa, but they are already extinct in two of their native countries, Lesotho and Burundi. Zebras can breed with horses because they are closely related to them, but zebras are actually more aggressive than horses. Zebras make sounds of horses, but also sounds of donkeys and mules. Their striped coats are great for keeping the sun from making them overheated in Africa. A group of zebras is actually called a dazzle, and together they sleep standing up. Many zebras go together and migrate very far.
- What is the average/range for weight of baby zebras?
Zebras are the same genus as horses and donkeys, Equus. Zebras are actually black with white stripes, and every zebra species has a different stripe pattern. The Grevy's zebra, the Mountain zebra, and all the others. The purpose of the zebra’s stripes is to work as camouflage, so predators can’t tell how many zebras there are when they stand together. Also, the stripes look unattractive to other predators, so they leave them alone. Zebras have communication habits. Baby zebras are called foals, and they are carried for the gestation of 12 to 14 months. They weigh 50 to 88 pounds after birth, then they have a lifespan of around 25 years.
Somethings I figured out:
Q: What is the average weight of baby zebras (Foals)?
A: When Foals are born, they weigh from 55 to 88 pounds.
Range: 55 57 60 62 65 70 72 75 80 85 88
Mean: 69.9
Variance: 126.091
Standard Deviation: 11.2
"My calculations of the standard deviation, variance, and mean for the range of foals weight" N.M, 2021
Zebras are the same genus as horses and donkeys, Equus. Zebras are actually black with white stripes, and every zebra species has a different stripe pattern. The Grevy's zebra, the Mountain zebra, and all the others. The purpose of the zebra’s stripes is to work as camouflage, so predators can’t tell how many zebras there are when they stand together. Also, the stripes look unattractive to other predators, so they leave them alone. Zebras have communication habits. Baby zebras are called foals, and they are carried for the gestation of 12 to 14 months. They weigh 50 to 88 pounds after birth, then they have a lifespan of around 25 years.
Somethings I figured out:
Q: What is the average weight of baby zebras (Foals)?
A: When Foals are born, they weigh from 55 to 88 pounds.
Range: 55 57 60 62 65 70 72 75 80 85 88
Mean: 69.9
Variance: 126.091
Standard Deviation: 11.2
"My calculations of the standard deviation, variance, and mean for the range of foals weight" N.M, 2021
"Box and whisker plot for Foals weight range" N.M, 2021
The Grevy’s zebra are the first zebra’s to emerge, and they lived in treeless grasslands and woodlands, in southern and central Africa. Grevy’s zebras are still living, but there are not nearly as many as Plains zebras. I think that the Grevy's zebras had a harder time with the heat because they had more browns and white stripes than black and white stripes. I also think that since they were bigger they varied in size more which made it a little bit easier for predators to spot them.
"Plains zebra on the left and Grevy's zebra on the right, from the field museum" N.M, 2021
About some of the zebra's traits:
Zebras live in treeless grasslands and woodlands, also some in mountains with lots of grass. Alaska. In Alaska, the sun does not rise for a good portion of the year, and it is very cold. There are bears, wolverines, and other predators. I am particularly wondering how zebras would do in the snowy and icy parts of Alaska, where it is around 0° F to 17° F.
1) The zebra has white stripes that help for camouflage in order for predators like lions in Africa to not be able to tell how many of them there are, and for certain insects (the blood-sucking ones) to leave them alone because they find their stripes unattractive. 2)
2) The zebras don’t need high-nutritious plants to survive. This is because there are a lot less nutritious plants and less water in Africa where they live.
3) Hooves on the zebras are helpful because they hold their weight, and it helps them run faster because they don’t have to shift their weight on multiple toes.
4) They have 4 legs, which means they are quadruped. This helps them get farther when running.
How I think they would do in Alaska considering these traits:
1. The white stripes would still be good for camouflage from predators.
2. The fact that they don’t need nutritious plants could also be helpful since there are not many plants in Alaska.
3. Hooves wouldn’t be so great for living in that environment because they could slip or break the ice causing the zebra’s harm.
4. Zebra’s being quadruped I think would be good for balance, but not help much for running since it is probably harder to run on ice and watery things.
Thank you for reading my blog post! I liked doing this action project, I learned a lot about zebras and it was especially fun to think about how the zebras would do in very different habitats that they are used to. I also enjoyed going to the field museum, and reading all these articles about animals and zebras.
Sources:
Bradford, A. (2014, October 17). Zebra facts . LiveScience. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.livescience.com/27443-zebras.html.
(n.d.). Zebra . San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Animals and Plants. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/zebra.
(n.d.). Zebra guide: Species facts, where they live and migration. Discover Wildlife. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/facts-about-zebras/.
(2020, May 21). What do Zebras Eat? - learn more about zebras and their diet. Animal Info World. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://animalinfoworld.com/what-do-zebras-eat/.
(2017, February 8). Zebras - facts, Diet & Habitat Information . Animal Corner. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://animalcorner.org/animals/zebras/.
Siegel, E. (2019, May 16). What was it like when the first humans arose on earth? Forbes. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/05/15/what-was-it-like-when-the-first-humans-arose-on-earth/?sh=6b6215586997.
Main, D. (2013, June 26). Oldest sequenced genome sheds light on horse evolution. LiveScience. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.livescience.com/37762-ancient-horse-genome-sequenced.html.
Hagerman. Welcome to the Digital Atlas of Idaho. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://digitalatlas.cose.isu.edu/geog/parks/hagerman/text/horse.htm.
Hyracotherium. Florida Museum. (2019, December 17). Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fossil-horses/gallery/hyracotherium/.
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). Hagerman Horse. National Parks Service. Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.nps.gov/hafo/learn/nature/hagerman-horse.htm.
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