Photo credit: John Eisinger
Grevy’s Zebra, Equus grevyi, is listed as ‘ENDANGERED’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. It is restricted to Ethiopia and Kenya, and is most easily distinguished from the more common Plains Zebra by its narrower stripes.
Grevy’s Zebra has declined by over 50 percent in recent decades, with only around 750 mature individuals now left in the wild. Hunting for skins in the 1970s may have contributed to its decline, but habitat loss through overgrazing, competition with livestock, and a reduced water supply are now the major threats. In some areas hunting continues to be a major threat, while disease outbreaks pose an additional hazard to the already reduced population.
Grevy’s Zebra is legally protected in Ethiopia and safeguarded by a hunting ban in Kenya. At present, protected areas only cover a small portion of its range, although they may prove to be crucial to the preservation of some populations. Kenya has developed a national conservation strategy for the species, and research and community-based conservation efforts are ongoing in both Kenya and Ethiopia.
Geographic Range of the Grevy’s Zebra
Credit: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
Featured Organization of the Day, Grevy’s Zebra Trust, is working very hard to save this species.
To learn more about Grevy’s Zebras, click here. Or visit the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ by clicking their logo below.
To learn more about the Bush Warriors “Species of the Day” feature, please click here and read up on our initiative to raise awareness about the loss of earth’s biodiversity.
