Plains Zebra

The Serengeti is the single best park for zebra sightings, with the southern plains and Ndutu region holding the highest densities during the calving and rainy seasons. The Ngorongoro Crater also offers reliable year round viewing. Legend Expeditions includes both on our northern circuit itineraries.

The current best scientific evidence is that stripes deter biting flies. Tsetses and horseflies struggle to land on the high contrast pattern, which protects zebras from disease carrying insect bites. Older theories about camouflage and predator confusion have not held up to field testing.

Yes, roughly 250,000 plains zebras migrate alongside the 1.5 million wildebeest in the Serengeti Mara ecosystem. They typically lead the way, grazing the longer grass first and clearing it for the wildebeest behind. You will see large mixed herds of both species throughout your migration safari.

Plains zebras are large powerful animals. Adult stallions can weigh over 350 kilograms and have a kick strong enough to break a lion's jaw. They are not aggressive toward safari vehicles and there is no risk inside a guided drive. The danger only arises if a person attempts to approach one on foot.

Yes. Every zebra has a unique stripe pattern, especially around the rump and shoulders, and researchers use these patterns to identify individual animals over years. With practice you can pick out individuals in a familiar herd, and your guide will sometimes recognise specific stallions by a scar or a torn ear.

Tanzania is home only to the plains zebra. The mountain zebra lives in southern Africa and Grevy's zebra lives in northern Kenya and Ethiopia. All the zebras you see in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire are the plains subspecies, and they are the most numerous of the three.