Review: Zebra, by Christopher Plumb and Samuel Shaw

Abstract

Zebra . By Christopher Plumb and Samuel Shaw. 2018. Reaktion Books. (ISBN: 9781780239354). 216 pp. Softcover, $15.94. Everything you ever wanted to know about zebras can be found right here in black and white in this remarkable book. Zebras are popular animals, being described in Thomas Pennant's 1871 History of Quadrupeds with words such as elegant , useless , gregarious , untamable , and vicious . Many regard zebras as striped horses, but more likely horses could be considered zebras whose stripes have been lost. Like the other equids, zebras probably originated in North America, but since the last Ice Age they are found only in Africa. The three zebra species have many differences in physical and behavioral characteristics. They feature hooves consisting of one large toe, powerful jaws with durable teeth for grass grazing, and large eyes with binocular vision, but an inability to focus sharply. Two zebra species are considered endangered, and conservation efforts are critical. Like many other animals, they are being threatened by overexploitation, habitat destruction, and climate …