Mountain Zebra
Equus zebra
⛰️🦓
Chordata
Mammalia
Perissodactyla
Equoidea
Equidae
Equus
Equus zebra
The Mountain Zebra, Equus zebra, is a sure-footed grazer adapted to the rocky plateaus and arid highlands of southern Africa. Distinguished by its bold stripe pattern and lack of a belly stripe, it thrives in terrain too harsh for other equids, embodying resilience in one of Africa’s most challenging environments.
Description
Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra) — The Mountain Zebra is a sturdy, medium-sized equid native to the rugged slopes and dry uplands of Namibia and South Africa. It is divided into two subspecies: the Cape Mountain Zebra (E. z. zebra) and Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra (E. z. hartmannae).
Adults stand about 1.25–1.5 meters at the shoulder and weigh between 240–372 kg. Their narrow, vertical stripes do not meet on the belly, which remains white — a key feature distinguishing them from Plains Zebras. They possess a short, erect mane, large ears, and a dewlap under the neck, a unique adaptation among zebras.
Mountain Zebras inhabit steep, rocky grasslands and semi-desert environments, where they graze on short grasses and browse shrubs. Their hard hooves and agility allow them to navigate cliffs and escarpments with ease. Historically widespread, their range contracted severely due to hunting and habitat loss, but conservation programs have led to strong recoveries, particularly in South Africa’s mountain reserves.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
240
1.4
2.1
2.5
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Omnivores – Balanced
Hunt History
For millennia, Equus zebra was hunted by prehistoric peoples of southern Africa for meat and hides. The species’ predictable movements between highland grazing grounds and water sources made it a reliable seasonal prey. Early hunter-gatherers used coordinated drives and ambushes along rocky passes. In the 18th and 19th centuries, European colonists hunted them extensively for skins and sport, driving populations near extinction before protection efforts began in the 20th century.
Earliest Archaeological Evidence of Human Predation:
Klasies River Caves, South Africa – Middle Stone Age deposits (~90,000 BP) contain zebra bones with butchery marks from early Homo sapiens.
Nelson Bay Cave, Western Cape – Late Pleistocene (~20,000 BP) layers include mountain zebra remains processed for meat and hide.
Boomplaas Cave, Western Cape – Holocene (~7,000 BP) strata show continuous exploitation of Equus zebra alongside other grazers.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Extant
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
0
BP
Late Pleistocene
Africa
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
5
Est. Renderable Fat
12
kg
Targeted Organs
Visceral & subcutaneous
Adipose Depots
Visceral/subcutaneous (general)
Preferred Cuts
Visceral depot
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
3