Burchell's zebra mother and foal, Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa

© Richard Du Toit/Minden Picture

Stripe a pose. International Zebra Day

It's time for some black-and-white thinking. January 31 is International Zebra Day, celebrating the stripey creatures pictured here in Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa. There are three species of zebra: plains, mountain, and Grévy's, and several subspecies. The mother and foal on our homepage are Burchell's zebras, a subspecies of the plains zebra. Found across eastern and southern Africa, zebras thrive in savannas, shrublands, woodlands, and mountain regions. They spend most of their time eating grasses, leaves, and shrubs, and can travel hundreds of miles in search of food and water. Sadly, all three species are under threat due to hunting and habitat destruction. International Zebra Day aims to raise awareness of conservation efforts, to help protect these striking creatures.