Plains Zebra (Equus quagga) Fact Sheet: Population & Conservation Status

Population estimates
(King and Moehlman 2016)

• Total population
  • Over 500,000 individuals
    • 150,000-250,000 mature individuals
• Considered common and widespread, but population declines in many range states
  • Approximately 25% decline through 1990s and 2000s
• In many countries, only found in protected areas
• For country-specific information, see IUCN assessment

Grant's zebra (Equus quagga boehmii)

• Account for c. 75% of all individuals (Hack and Lorenzen 2008; Hack et al. 2002)

IUCN

• Near Threatened (2016 assessment) (King and Moehlman 2016)
  • Populations declining in many areas
  • In many countries, only found in protected areas

CITES

• Not listed (UNEP 2019)

No major range-wide threats (Hack and Lorenzen 2008)

Localized threats (Hack et al. 2002)

• Overhunting
  • Poaching a more significant concern in northern range (Hack and Lorenzen 2008)
• Habitat loss
  • More significant concern in southern range (Hack and Lorenzen 2008)

National parks and reserves (from Hack et al. 2002)

• Protected within many plains zebra populations
• Tanzania and Kenya have well-developed wildlife monitoring programs, shelter many of the world's wild individuals
  • c. 75% of all individuals reside within these two countries
• Inhabited protected areas (a select list) (from Hack and Lorenzen 2008)
  • Serengeti National Park,Tanzania
  • Tsavo and Masaai Mara, Kenya
  • Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
  • Etosha National Park, Namibia
  • Kruger National park, South Africa

Proposed action (from Hack et al. 2002)

• Improve population monitoring across range
• Increase study coverage and frequency
• Improve risk assessment
• Quantify and manage global and local genetic diversity
• Expand understanding of basic species biology
• Investigate economics of alternative utilization strategies

Image credit: © S Yeliseev from Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Hack and Lorenzen (2008)
Hack et al. (2002)
Klingel (2013)
Mobaek et al. (2005)
Pienaar (1963)