Head to head
African Wild Ass vs Grevy's Zebra
African Wild Ass
VS Grevy's Zebra
The African wild ass and Grevy's zebra both live in the arid Horn of Africa and both are among its rarest large mammals, but one is a wild ass and the other a zebra.
| African Wild Ass | Grevy's Zebra | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Equus africanus | Equus grevyi |
| Group | A wild ass, and the wild ancestor of the domestic donkey | A zebra, and the largest of the wild equids |
| Stripes | Faint dark stripes on its legs only | Fine, narrow stripes over its body, a white belly, and big, rounded ears |
| Habitat | Arid lowlands, including the Danakil Desert region | Semi-arid grassland and scrub |
| Range | Eritrea and Ethiopia | Northern Kenya and Ethiopia |
| Water | Can survive on sparse food and go for days without water | Can go for several days without drinking in dry country |
| Threats | Hunting, competition with livestock, and interbreeding with domestic donkeys | Competition with livestock, loss of water and grazing, and hunting |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered, with perhaps a few hundred animals | Endangered, with only a few thousand animals |
African Wild Ass vs Grevy's Zebra: common questions
Which is a zebra and which is a wild ass?
Grevy's zebra is a zebra with fine stripes over its body, while the African wild ass is a wild ass with stripes only on its legs.
Which one is the ancestor of the donkey?
The African wild ass, which is the wild ancestor of the domestic donkey.
Where do the African wild ass and Grevy's zebra live?
The African wild ass lives in the arid lands of Eritrea and Ethiopia, while Grevy's zebra lives in semi-arid grassland and scrub in northern Kenya and Ethiopia.