Zebra manes & tails

To continue the debate of how to clearly differentiate between the different (sub-)species of zebra [SEE my previous blog entries on this "subject": 21/12/12 & 17/1/13] I'm today posting photos concentrating on the manes & tails of the various zebra species. Slowly I'm beginning to "make peace" with the fact that the variety amongst the Plains zebra is huge!!

Similarly I'm reverting to calling them Burchell's (instead of only Plains) zebra, even if the available info on the internet in this regard is rather confusing - but, afterall, the full (scientific) name for them is Equus burchelli.

A zebra's mane "stands up straight" (> horse's mane lies flat) wheras a zebra (also unlike a horse) has a "solid" tail. The long erect mane runs along the top of the neck - from the ears to above the shoulders - whilst the "neat" striping pattern on the neck extends into the mane.

Another "typical zebra-feature" is a narrow black stripe that runs along the back to the mid-line of the tail & ends in a black whisk, whilst the top of the tail is "flanked" by black bars (+/ black dots) - more clearly visible in the first 2 photos above.

Back to my "favourite group" of zebra drinking thistily - apart from thinking they might be Damara zebra [SEE my previous blog entry as well as 21/12/12 ] - I'm "diverting" from concentrating on the unusually white legs to other, more typical zebra-features: the muzzle, chin & nose are black. I'm also "re-using" a photo of this group because . . .

. . . I wish to concentrate on the zebra-"rear ends" (incidentally: this is also 1 of my favourite zebra-photos) & on what is said to be "zipper-like" in appearance: the stripe that covers the spine & top portion of the tail!!??

However: this zipper-like-effect is supposedly only associated with the Hartmann's (sub-species of the Mountain) zebra, but unfortunately I only have this "side-view"-photo of what I believe are Hartmann's zebra, because I photographed them in the (geological) region where they are said to occur in Namibia.

So instead I'm "using" a photo of a Cape Mountain zebra to "demonstrate" what the zipper-like appearance might look like, although . . .

. . . I used to associate this zipper-like-look with what until recently I thought WERE Hartmann zebra but was "corrected" [SEE: previous blog-entry]. So instead I now think they are the rather "unique" Grant's zebra!?

Zebra Controversy

Much confusion reigned on 21/12/12 [SEE my blog-entry on that date] - in my case it was related to the available (or in this case non-available/confusing) information I came across during my "surfing" on the internet about the different species of zebra- instead of being confused/afraid that the world was possibly coming to an end on that day :) Today, however, I want to concentrate on how to possibly identify zebras according to their stripes (only) & the regions, where I found/photographed them. This group of (3) zebra are at home in the Addo Park in the Eastern Cape.

I photographed this (heavily pregnant) zebra mare in the Pilansberg Reserve (N-W Province). Since today I only want to concentrate on the Plains zebra (generally known as the Burchell's zebra here in SA), the distinctively wide & widely spaced stripes of this zebra subspecies are vertical on the forepart of the body, in contrast to being horizontal on the hindquarters & legs.

The horizontal stripes on the lower legs are also usually "giving way to white", whereas a very distinctive feature of the Plains zebra is the so-called (brownish/greyish) shadow-stripes especially on the rump - all clearly "demonstrated" by this zebra, which crossed a road in the Kruger National Park - hence zebra-stripes :)

When looking at this zebra mare & its foal, photographed in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve (KwaZulu-Natal), I wonder: are we looking at 1 of several subtypes/variations, as some websites on the matter "state", yet don't appear to agree about how many species truly exist/are extant OR extinct by now!!

Is this possibly a "true" Burchell's zebra (photographed in a private game reserve in the Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape region), which the information on some websites describe as "the lightest coloured" of all zebras with completely white legs? In contrast & if in fact the Burchell's is only a subtype of the Plains zebra, which some "claim" is (like the Quagga) by now extinct, shouldn't we stop generally referring to the Plains as the Burchell's zebra?

Photographed in the Etosha National Park in Namibia, this Plains/Burchell's zebra has similar whitish legs as the zebra above, but in contrast has more "pronounced" shadow-stripes. Even if it's a fact that a zebra's stripe pattern is as distinctive from one another as our fingerprints as humans are, don't the great variations (sometimes even WITHIN a specific geographical region) indicate that also, various "kinds" of the Plains zebra exist?

Since this zebra is part of a small group in Zambia bear the Victoria Falls, where it's (incorrectly) "described" as a Hartman zebra (= a Mountain, NOT Plains, zebra subspecies) it was pointed out to me by an expert that instead it's a Plains zebra subspecies. So as I did in my blog-entry on the "confusing" date - because this group of zebra is far more "heavily" striped than is usually the case - I again wonder: is this possibly a Grant's zebra, which is indeed a subspecies of the Plains zebra & which is said NOT to have shadow-stripes??

In a similar vein: are these Damara zebra - another Plains zebra subtype?? Damara zebra occur in Namibia, as these do in the Etosha Park, & like the supposedly extinct Burchell's zebra are said to have NO stripes on the legs - apart from that the shadow-stripes "fade into the brownish colour of the hind-quarters"!?

New Beginning

How about comparing the backside of an animal with the Old (Past) Year & a frontal view with the New Year - i.e. facing the future? Then these 2 elephants, appearing to embrace, could symbolise an endearing "connection" between the past & a new beginning. But it seems to be an illusion, because . . .

. . . in fact the 2 elephant bulls are fighting; or "testing" their strength - which also could be representative of "making ones mark".

According to my premise today, looking at the backside of this BLUE Wildebeest represents "seeing out" the Old Year . . .

. . . wheras this BLACK Wildebeest, squarely facing ahead, symbolises a challenging attitude & readiness to accept, whatever "comes along" - head-on!

Similarly these cute little meerkats (suricates) are "squarely facing" what lies ahead . . .

. . . but these 2 meerkats are looking "over the shoulder" . . .

. . . whilst others from the same family look "straight ahead" - & into the future?

In conclusion (closely related to the meerkaats) a family of Striped mongoose "turning their back" on the Old & walking towards a New Beginning :)

Old OUT - New IN

Today I'm comparing the "old" (past) year with a sunset . . .

. . . of which I have quite a collection of photographs - like this colourful sky over Cape Town after sunset . . .

. . . which changed to a quite scary dark red colour soon after . . .

. . . which again reminds my of a psychedelic-like-looking sun I felt privileged to "witness" from a boat on the Chobe River (Botswana) . . .

. . . as well as the baloon-like setting sun when "drifting" once on the Zambezi River (just "above" the Victoria Falls) . . .

. . . which changed into one of the most amazing if surreal views I've ever experienced . . .

. . . but that happened in the past - whereas a lovely sunrise over the Indian Ocean in Durban in my eyes today symbolises the new year, which has just started :)

Favourite Photos

To "see out" the year I decided to post a few of my favourite photos - like this one of a Rock agama, which I call a "lucky shot", because it turned out to be a near-perfect photo without me trying to create a special effect.

I think this photo of a leopard "speaks for itself"!?

After publishing this photo of a baby elephant before, I received many complimentary responses especially on Face Book.

I find something about the body language, which these 2 Vervet monkeys "exhibit", very endearing :)

Just like the first photo (above) this turned out to be a lucky shot because I didn't intentually try to produce a specific effect - I also only realised afterwards that 2 more Speckled mousebirds are "in the frame" AND in what looks almost like a basket with a handle (bottom right of photo).

Festive Season

Zebra Confusion

Since the world "goes on" as before but today's date (21/12/12) is nonetheless very special (if in stark contrast to what the Mayan Calender supposedly predicted), I prefer to concentrate on another kind of confusion: what a zebra's stripes "entails". Other than that a predator (like a lion) can't make out "head-or-tails" when a group of zebra "bundle together", a zebra's stripes are like a human fingerprint - each individual has a different pattern.

Other than that, the different zebra species can be distinguished by the pattern of their stripes - so the Plains zebra (or more commonly known as Burchell's zebra) have broad black (& widely spaced) stripes, alternating with thin light "shadow"-stripes (especially on the hind quarters) - but what if the legs are entirely white? When found in Namibia (as is the case with the zebra on this photo) are they Damara Zebra (a subspecies of the Plains zebra)?

Does that mean we are facing yet another sub-species when the stripes appear to be more brown than black - as is the case with most of these zebra (which I also "snapped" in Namibia)? Otherwise all the features are typical of a Plains zebra: vertical stripes on forepart of body, horizontal on the hind quarters, with (brownish) shadow-stripes in between.

Now these are typical Mountain zebra (also photographed in Namibia - in the Etosha Park) - but is there only 1 Mountain-zebra-species in Africa? Whilst doing some "research" about this on the internet, I found NO conclusive proof on any web-site to solve this "dilemma".

Some sites differentiate between the "Common" & the Cape Mountain zebra (the latter photographed in the Mountain Zebra Park just outside Craddock). Comparing the 2 (above & on the right) - you be the judge! Typical features of a Mountain zebra are: a short upright standing mane, a dark muzzle, long (more donkey-like) ears, a dewlap (fold of skin on the throat) & white bellies.

Now what about this zebra? For years I was under the impression that this was a Hartman's zebra - mainly because of its (typical) stripe on the spine & upper tail-portion, which is "zipper-like. Also, the people living & working around the hotels in Zambia at the Victoria Falls, where a small group of these zebra "are at home", confirmed this - but then an expert on the subject (& part of 1 of my tour-groups), corrected this - apparently & despite having closely spaced stripes right down to its hooves, as well as "missing" shadow-stripes, this is just another sub-species of the Plains zebra! Or is it possibly a Grant's zebra?? As I said - unfortunately information on this subject is rather "scares" on the internet.

Last but not least - yet another "version" of a Plains/ Burchell's zebra - its black stripes (especially on the hind quarters) look more like "irregular" veins, or even remind me of a lightning-pattern) - is this also a sub-species, or just reveals a more unique finger-print-pattern?