Head to head
Mountain Zebra vs Plains Zebra
Mountain Zebra
VS Plains Zebra
The mountain zebra and plains zebra are two zebras of southern Africa that differ in terrain, markings, and numbers, one clambering over rocky hills and the other ranging across open savanna.
| Mountain Zebra | Plains Zebra | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Equus zebra | Equus quagga |
| Distinguishing marks | A dewlap hanging from the throat and a grid-iron stripe pattern on the rump | Every zebra's stripe pattern is unique, like a fingerprint |
| Habitat | Mountains, rocky hills, and dry grassland | Savannas and grasslands |
| Range | South Africa, Namibia, and southwestern Angola | Eastern and southern Africa, from South Sudan and Ethiopia to South Africa |
| Movement | Moves easily across steep, rocky ground with hard, narrow hooves | Can reach a top speed of around 65 km/h |
| Social life | Lives in small family groups of a stallion with several mares and their foals | Lives in harems of one stallion, several mares, and their foals |
| Forms and numbers | Includes the Cape mountain zebra and Hartmann's mountain zebra, with tens of thousands in total | About 500,000, down about 25 percent in recent decades |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable, with an increasing population | Near Threatened, with a decreasing population |
Mountain Zebra vs Plains Zebra: common questions
How can you tell a mountain zebra from a plains zebra?
The mountain zebra has a dewlap under its chin and a grid-iron pattern of stripes on its rump, while the plains zebra lacks both.
Which zebra was nearly lost?
The Cape mountain zebra, which fell to a few dozen animals in the 1930s before protection helped it recover.
Where do the mountain and plains zebras live?
The mountain zebra lives in the rocky highlands of South Africa, Namibia, and southwestern Angola, while the plains zebra lives on savannas across eastern and southern Africa.