Grevy’s Zebra (Also Known as Imperial Zebra)

Grevy’s zebra (also known as Imperial zebra) is the largest of all the zebras and it is an endangered species. These zebra usually live in small herds of up to fourteen individuals. Grevy’s zebras live in northern Kenya and a few small areas of southern Ethiopia. Zebra is one of the most remarkable and noticeable animals and is often used as lovely character in cartoons because children just love her stripes!
Grevy’s zebras have large heads, large and rounded ears, and thick erect manes. The muzzle is brown; neck is thicker and more robust than in other zebra species. These qualities make it appear more mule – like than other zebras. The coat has black and white narrow stripes. The belly is completely white, unlike other zebras. They are also the largest of all the wild equids and only domestic horses are larger. Foals are born with a coat that has reddish- brown or russet stripes instead of the black of adults. No two zebras have the same stripe pattern.
Zebras are loosely social animals; herd composition can vary on a daily bases as new members enter a dominant male’s territory and old members leave. During droughts, some Grevy’s zebras migrate to mountain pastures where food sources are more abundant. Males use sounds and visual cues to assert their dominance.  
Several years ago there was a great increase in poaching, particularly in northern Kenya, and there was a great demand for the narrow-striped skin of the Grevy's zebra for the manufacture of handbags, purses, slippers, rugs, wall-drapes - and even clothing. This resulted in the sharp and sudden decline of the species. Since Kenya banned all hunting, and the export of zebra skin products, the poaching has largely stopped, but numbers have not yet recovered sufficiently for the Grevy's zebra to be removed from the official list of endangered species.
A 5-year conservation plan of the Kenya Wildlife Services was launched on June 25, 2008. This conservation plan aims to recover the population of...