top of page
Imperial
Zebra
ENDANGERED
9x9''
$555
The Imperial Zebra, also known as the Grévy’s Zebra, is the largest living wild equid and the most threatened of the three species of zebra, the other two being the plains zebra and the mountain zebra. They can be found in Kenya and Ethiopia. Compared with other zebras, it is tall, has large ears, and its stripes are narrower. As with all zebra species, the imperial zebra's pelage has a black and white striping pattern. The stripes are narrow and close-set, being broader on the neck, and they extend to the hooves. The belly and the area around the base of the tail lack stripes and are just white in color, which is unique to the imperial zebra. Foals are born with brown and white striping, with the brown stripes darkening as they grow older. Embryological evidence has shown that the zebra's background color is dark and the white is an addition. Studies suggest that, when moving, the stripes may confuse observers, such as mammalian predators and biting insects, via two visual illusions, the wagon wheel effect, where the perceived motion is inverted, and the barber pole illusion, where the perceived motion is in a wrong direction. The imperial zebra lives in semi-arid grasslands where it feeds on grasses, legumes, and browse; it can survive up to five days without water. It differs from the other zebra species in that it does not live in harems and has few long-lasting social bonds. Stallion territoriality and mother–foal relationships form the basis of the social system of the imperial zebra.
The imperial zebra is considered Endangered and faces many threats to its livelihood. Kenya’s Grevy’s Zebra Technical Committee recently assessed and ranked the threats to imperial Zebras. In decreasing order they include: 1) Habitat degradation and loss induced by extremely heavy grazing by livestock; 2) Competition with livestock, especially over access to water and high quality rangeland; 3) Local hunting for meat as well as medicinal and cultural purpose; 4) Disease from contact with unvaccinated livestock; 5) Hybridization with plains Zebras; 6) Predation; 7) Anticipated land conversion for resort development and other large-scale initiatives for economic expansion. In Kenya, hunting for skins (which fetched a high price on the world market) in the late 1970s was the likely cause of the initial precipitous decline in numbers. Imperial zebras are now protected in Kenya and Ethiopia, but, unfortunately, less than 0.5% of the range of the imperial zebra is on protected lands. Recent data suggest that numbers continued to decline because recruitment was limited by low levels of infant and juvenile survival. This was a direct result of competition for resources (both food and water) with pastoral people and their domestic livestock.
Imperial zebra face a real risk of extinction if action is not taken to protect them from mounting threats in their core range. The Imperial Zebra population was estimated to be 15,000 in the 1970s and by the early 21st century the population was lower than 3,500, a 75% decline. In 2008 it was estimated that there are less than 2,500 imperial zebras still living in the wild, further declining to fewer than 2000 mature individulas in 2016. There are also an estimated 600 imperial zebras in captivity. Though, captive herds have been known to thrive (like at White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida, United States, where more than 70 foals have been born), raising any animal in captivity is not the ideal. Community-based conservation efforts have shown to be the most effective in preserving imperial zebras and their habitat. Grevy’s Zebra Trust employs a broad network of local Scouts, Ambassadors and Warriors to monitor the zebra and engage local communities. These teams provide important data on zebra distribution and behavior, as well as helping to identify the need for, and implement, interventions such as water source management and supplemental feeding. Engagement activities have enabled the development of livestock management plans that improve grazing conditions for cattle and wildlife. Scouts also visit schools and raise awareness among children with glove puppets and a specially written cartoon book.
bottom of page