Zebra

Zebras are very interesting and beautiful animals that are known for their colourful black and white stripes. Each zebra has a unique pattern, like our fingerprints - no two are alike!

And here's the interesting thing: when a baby zebra, or cub, is first born, it looks very closely at its mum. He memorises what her unique stripes look like. This helps him always know where his mum is, even when there are lots of other zebras around. Imagine you are at a big party with lots of people and suddenly you are lost. You'd definitely recognise your mum or dad by their face, wouldn't you? Well, zebras do the same thing! They recognise their mums by their unique stripe pattern.

But do you know why zebras have stripes? Some scientists think the stripes help zebras hide from predators because it makes it harder to see a zebra in the grass or among other zebras.

Zebras live in Africa, and they like to run in wide open spaces. They like to be together, and they often form large groups called herds. These herds always have lots of friends to play with.

Have you ever seen in cartoons or books that different animals become friends and walk together? In fact, it happens in real life as well. Zebras are very sociable and like to walk in the company of other animals like antelopes, ostriches and even giraffes.

So why do they do this? The reason is that when animals are together, they can defend themselves better against dangers. If a predatory animal, such as a lion, sneaks up on them, the zebra and its friends have a better chance of spotting it and running away.

But if the zebra does get attacked, it will give up so easily! A zebra can kick an enemy with its powerful front legs like a horse and even bite with its teeth. They are very strong and brave, and can defend themselves and their friends.

So when a zebra walks with their animal friends, they not only have fun, but they also look after each other and help each other stay safe.

Zebras are also very fast runners and can leap and run to get away from danger. They can also swim, which can be very useful when they have to cross rivers during their long treks.

All zebras eat grass and leaves, they need to eat a lot to stay healthy and strong. They have large teeth in the back of their mouth that help them chew grass.

Zebras are wonderful creatures that showcase the amazing beauty of nature. They remind us how important it is to take care of our planet and all its inhabitants.