Grévy's zebra
The Grévy's zebra is the largest of all wild equines. It is from head to tail with a tail, and stands high at the withers. These zebras weigh . Grévy's zebra differs from the other two zebras in its more primitive characteristics. It is particularly mule-like in appearance; the head is large, long, and narrow with elongated nostril openings; the ears are very large, rounded, and conical and the neck is short but thick. The zebra's muzzle is ash-grey to black in colour with the lips having whiskers. The mane is tall and erect; juveniles have a mane that extends to the length of the back and shortens as they reach adulthood.
Plains zebra
The stallion mates with all his mares. The gestation period lasts around 360 to 396 days, and a single young is produced, which is capable of standing almost immediately and starts to eat grass within a week.
Mares may give birth to one foal every 12 months. The birthing peak is during the rainy season. She nurses the foal for up to a year. The foal is weaned at 7 to 11 months and reaches puberty at 16 to 22 months.
The stallion is generally intolerant of foals that are not his. Zebras may practice infanticide and feticide; such incidences have been observed in both captive individuals and in nature. In the film "Great Zebra Exodus", a mare was trying to protect her foal from a new stallion as its father was a fallen stallion. At the moment of birth, a mother zebra keeps any other zebra away from her foal, including the stallion, the other mares, and even the previous offspring. Later, though, they all bond. Within the group, a foal has the same rank as its mother. Plains zebra foals are protected by their mother and the head stallion and the other mares in their group. Even with parental protection, up to 50% of zebra foals are taken by predation, disease, and starvation each year.