Chapman's zebra (Equus quagga chapmani) is a subspecies of the Plains zebra, named after its discoverer James Chapman. Like the other subspecies of plains zebra, it is a herbivore and undertakes a migration during the wet season to find fresh sources of food and to avoid lions, which are their primary predator.
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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CongregatoryCongregatory animals tend to gather in large numbers in specific areas as breeding colonies, for feeding, or for resting.
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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Highly socialHighly social animals are those which are highly interactive with other members of their species. They live in large groups, nest in colonies, and ...
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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MigratingAnimal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migrati...
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starts withChapman's zebras are single-hoofed mammals that are a part of the odd-toed ungulate order. They differ from other zebras in that their stripes continue past their knees, and that they also have somewhat brown stripes in addition to the black and white stripes that are typically associated with zebras. The pastern is also not completely black on the lower half. Each zebra has its own unique stripe pattern that also includes shadow stripes. When foals are born, they have brown stripes, and in some cases, adults do not develop the black coloration on their hides and keep their brown stripes.
Chapman's zebras are found in northeast South Africa, north to Zimbabwe, west into Botswana, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, and southern Angola. Within that range, they inhabit open woodlands, open savannas, shrublands, and grasslands.
Chapman's zebras are highly sociable animals that live in herds of up to tens of thousands of individuals. The larger herd is composed of harems with permanent members; consisting of one herd stallion, one to six females, and their offspring. They rarely exhibit aggressive behavior towards each other or other species. Males without a harem may form long-term cliques of their own with other bachelor males. The females stay in the same harems all of their lives. Within their harems, there are hierarchical social structures that dictate the movements of the group, through to how they care for their offspring. When foraging, Chapman's zebras also rely on the dominant member of the harem to lead them to water and food sources. They spend time resting during the day but are more active at dusk. During the dry season, Chapman's zebras tend not to stray too far from a water source as they frequently have to drink. During the wet season however, they will join together in large herds consisting of many harems and migrate in order to find abundant food sources to feed on after the relatively sparse dry season They also try to avoid other animal migrations so as to lower competition for food. In addition, Chapman's zebras also make cyclical daily movements whereby they prefer grasslands during the day and woodlands during the night so as to avoid lions, which are their main predator. They frequently move around and actively avoid areas where they recently observed lion activity.
Chapman's zebras are herbivores (graminivores) and feed on low-quality grasses; however they will also occasionally eat wild berries and other plants in order to increase protein intake.
Male Chapman's zebras will typically fight one another in front of a group of females before they mate with them, with the highest-ranking mare in the harem the first to mate. The gestation period for Chapman's zebras is around 12 months, after which time the female will give birth to a single foal. The foal is quickly able to walk with the rest of the group which is essential for its survival, as it ensures that the mother does not have to leave it behind for the good of the other members of the harem. From a young age foals are able to recognize the scent and sound of their mother and form bonds together that last into adulthood.
Total numbers of Chapman's zebras have declined by approximately 25% in recent years due to human activities including farming, hunting, poaching, and droughts exacerbated by climate change. Human settlements also impact population sizes by interrupting migratory patterns and thus limiting the availability of dense food sources necessary for the sustenance of large herds. This diminishes the ease at which the zebras migrate so they cannot find food as readily.
The total population size of the Chapman's zebra is unknown. Presently, this subspecies is not included in the IUCN Red List and its conservation status has not been evaluated.
Although Chapman's zebras prefer to eat short grasses, unlike some other grazing animals they also eat long grasses and so play an important role; as they consume the upper portion of long grass that has grown in the wet season this then allows for other animals to feed.
