Zebras, recognized by their distinctive striped coats, are iconic inhabitants of Africa’s grasslands and savannas. These herbivores consume only plant matter. Their feeding habits are crucial for survival in diverse African ecosystems, relying on the continent’s abundant vegetation.
Their Main Meal: Grasses
Grasses form approximately 90% of a zebra’s diet in the wild. Zebras are primarily grazers, seeking out pastures rich in fresh, green grasses. Plains zebras often prefer shorter, young grasses like red oat grass, Bermuda grass, and common finger grass. However, they are adaptable and can consume tougher, drier grasses during arid periods.
Grevy’s zebras, found in more arid regions, eat coarser grass types, such as Eleusine jaegeri and Pennisetum schimperi, which other zebra species might not favor. Mountain zebras also consume tufted grasses, including red oat grass and Cymbopogon plurinodis. The availability of various grass species across their habitats provides zebras with a consistent, fibrous food source fundamental to their energy and sustenance.
Beyond Grass: Other Food Sources
While grasses are their primary food, zebras are opportunistic feeders. They supplement their diet with other plant materials, especially when grasses are scarce during dry seasons. This flexibility allows them to survive in challenging environments. They may consume leaves, shoots, and tender stems from various plants and shrubs.
Zebras also eat bark, roots, flowers, herbs, and twigs when preferred grasses are unavailable. For instance, they might strip bark from acacia trees during droughts. Occasionally, they eat fallen fruits, though these are not a major part of their regular diet. These alternative food sources provide crucial nutrients and moisture, helping zebras endure periods of scarcity.
Eating Habits and Adaptations
Zebras have adaptations to efficiently process their fibrous, grass-based diet. Their strong front incisor teeth clip grass blades. High-crowned, ridged molars thoroughly grind tough plant material. These teeth continuously grow to compensate for wear from constant chewing.
As hindgut fermenters, similar to horses and rhinoceroses, zebras have a single-chambered stomach where beneficial bacteria break down plant fiber. This digestive system allows them to process large quantities of low-nutrient forage rapidly, though less efficiently than animals with multi-chambered stomachs. Zebras spend up to 19 hours daily grazing to meet their energy requirements. Their grazing behavior involves constant movement across landscapes, often driven by the availability of fresh pastures and water, leading to seasonal migrations.