Current Status of Grevy Zebra: A Review

Kula J

doi:10.4172/2375-446x.1000151

Abstract

Grevy’s zebra is a member of the horse family, equidae, and so is closely related to horses; asses and other zebra inhabit dry desert regions and open grasslands. Grevy’s zebra is one of the world’s most threatened wild equids and is IUCN red-listed as endangered. Historically, the Grevy’s zebra Equus grevyi ranged from east of the rift valley in Kenya to Western Somalia and Northern Ethiopia. Now a days, Grevy’s zebra found only in Kenya and small isolated populations in Yabello Sanctuary park in Ethiopia. They are regionally extinct in Djibouti, Eritrea and Somalia The number of Equus grevyi has declined rapidly by 85% over the last 27 years in the late 1970s the number estimates to be 15,000 but the current estimation is between 1,700 and 2,100. The species of Grevy’s zebra are on verge of extinction due to habitat degradation and loss, competition for resources with livestock, hunting, drought, disease, hybridisation and predation. Therefore, routine conservation strategies should be implemented as soon as possible.

Highlights

Grevy’s zebra is a member of the horse family, Equidae, and so is closely related to horses, asses and other zebra.Class: Mammalia, Order: Perissodactyla, Family: Equidae, Genus: Equus, Species: grevyi and they inhabit dry desert regions and open grasslands [1]
Grevy’s zebra is one of the world’s most threatened wild equids and is IUCN redlisted as Endangered [3]
The number of Equus grevyi has declined rapidly in recent times from estimates of 15,000 in the late 1970s to current estimation between 1,700 and 2,100.This indicates a maximum decline of 85% over the last 27 years

Summary

Introduction

Grevy’s zebra is a member of the horse family, Equidae, and so is closely related to horses, asses and other zebra (all of which share the same genus, as the family is monotypic).Class: Mammalia, Order: Perissodactyla, Family: Equidae, Genus: Equus, Species: grevyi and they inhabit dry desert regions and open grasslands [1]. The Grevy’s zebra Equus grevyi ranged from east of the Rift Valley in Kenya to western Somalia and northern Ethiopia [2]. Nowadays, Grevy’s zebra ranges through Kenya and small isolated populations in Ethiopia They are regionally extinct in Djibouti, Eritrea and Somalia with 93% of the population occurring within Kenya [4]. Since early records of their distribution, Grevy’s zebra have undergone one of the most substantial reductions of range of any African mammal They were found more widely across the horn of Africa including Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya with a reported sighting in Sudan but today they persist only in Kenya and Ethiopia [5]. The significant factors held responsible for the alarming decline of these animals are mainly hunting, habitat degradation and loss, competition for food and water resources from livestock and pastoralists and predation In addition; Grevy’s zebra is used for medicinal purposes by some pastoral communities, encouraging hunting [8]

Habitat degradation and loss

Findings

Recommendation and Conclusion