Name: Hartmann’s mountain zebra
Scientific Name: Equus zebra hartmannae

Description

The Hartmann’s mountain zebra is larger and heavier than the Cape mountain zebra. The black stripes across the buttocks are 2 to 3.5 cm wider in the Hartmann’s mountain zebra than in the Cape mountain zebra. The build of the Hartmann’s mountain zebra can be compared to that of a horse, while the build of the Cape mountain zebra is similar to that of a donkey or wild ass and is smaller and more slender.
Points that can be used to distinguish the mountain zebra from the plains zebra are:
• The mountain zebra has stripes on the side of the body that end in a horizontal line; the belly lacks stripes and is white. The stripes of plains zebra extend around the belly and may have shady stripes between them
• The stripes of the mountain zebra extend to the hooves but are absent at the bottom of the legs of the plains zebra
• Mountain zebra have a dewlap the size of a man’s hand below their necks. It is absent in the plains zebra
• The mountain zebra has a unique, bright orange shading surrounding the snout that is absent in the plains zebra
• The ears of the mountain zebra are 4-6 cm longer than those of the plains zebra and are thus more prominent
• Mountain zebra inhabit mountainous terrain, keeping primarily to the slopes, while plains zebra roam plains areas.

Habitat

Both subspecies are found in drier mountainous areas with a rainfall of 150 to 450mm/annum. They will drink daily if water is available but can survive for several days without it. Although Cape mountain zebra are found at altitudes of 2 000 m they cannot tolerate snowfalls and move downhill to sheltered kloofs. Kloofs and bush thickets are thus an important shelter from the rain and cold of winter. Suitable vegetation consists of fynbos and karroid or dry mountain grassveld. This includes scrubland and dwarf shrubland communities, providing that they have a relatively high grass biomass, especially of tall perennial grasses. Mountain zebra cannot survive exclusively on mountain plateaux and need access to mountain slopes and mountain-foot environments in different seasons. The transitional ecotone between the mountain foot and the bordering plains are an essential feeding ground. Hartmann’s mountain zebra are usually found at the foot of mountain slopes while Cape mountain zebra generally inhabit the higher slopes and kloofs. In summer they prefer to remain on the top of plateaus.

Distribution

The Hartmann’s mountain zebra are found primarily in the western half of Namibia with part of their range in the southern most part of Angola small scattered ranges in South Africa.

Size

Stallions body weight – 260-260kg. Mares 204-257kg.

Lifespan

25-30 years.