 | Brad Batdorf
Curator of Education at the Sedgwick County Zoo since the fall of 1993. His responsibilities include all educational activities of the Zoo, ranging from programs for toddlers to teacher workshops for graduate level college credit. Brad is an adjunct professor for Friends University, teaching the introductory course in the cooperative Zoo Science degree program. Prior to coming to KS, Brad worked as Director of Education at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC. Brad's degrees include an M.A.Ed. in Biology from the Citadel in Charleston, SC. Brad can be reached at (316) 942-2212 ext. 214 or e-mail: bbatdorf@scz.org |
Animals, Reptiles & Insects
2003-04-01 11:23:00
Stripes are like fingerprints
: Are zebras a member of the horse family? Aren't all zebra stripes basically the same?
ANSWER: Yes, zebras are from the horse family, known to scientists as Equidae. This group is made up of horses, zebras and donkeys. According to scientists who study them, no two zebras, even those in the same family, have identical stripes. They are as unique as human fingerprints. It is true that zebras from the same area resemble each other more than zebras from other regions. There are several recognized species of zebras, and the species are distinguished from one another on the basis of size and stripes. Some types of zebras have wider stripes, some have stripes the whole way down to the hooves, while others do not. Some have stripes that stop at the belly while others have stripes that go the whole way around.
