Celebrating International Zebra Day on January 31 of each year is all about raising conservation awareness and why zebras deserve recognition. Knowing the primary reason that date has been set aside for zebras is as important as taking your pet to the best care animal hospital Houston, TX.
Why International Zebra Day?
The #1 goal of the International Zebra Day is about catching the world’s attention to the plight of these lovely, striped animals. This is because the population of zebras has gone down significantly, up to approximately 54 percent. And for this reason, they are now considered endangered. They have now been added to the Red List of Threatened Species.
At least 3 living zebra species exist today; the Grevy’s zebra, the mountain zebra, and the plains zebra. According to the African Wildlife Foundation, the Grevy’s zebra and plains zebra are endangered species.
Zebras generally live around and in the African savannah and most of their natural habitat has been carefully preserved. Although they are still hunted mostly for their unique, lovely pelts, they are no longer on the main list of poachers in the region.
What You Need to Know about Zebras
Most animal lovers learn more about pets or animals when they need affordable pet care or an animal care clinic. Only a handful of individuals know that a zebra’s stripe is as unique as a human’s fingerprint.
Most animal specialists believe this disorientating pattern of stripes showcased by zebras discourages biting flies from homing in on zebras. Most flies generally navigate by perceiving the reflection of light off surfaces. And they love to perch on solid dark surfaces over any other colored surfaces.
The zebra stripes throw biting flies off completely, and that is why they generally avoid zebras altogether. The stripes have also been proven to control body temperature, according to ScienceDaily.
The hind legs of a zebra can deliver kicks so powerful that it can break the jaw of a lion or other predators. And when zebras run, they can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour.
They love mixing with other animals or birds like the ostrich, buffalos, etc. when grazing in the open fields.
At birth, the legs of a foal are nearly as long as that of an adult zebra. Within 20 minutes of taking the breath of life, the foal is on the run. New mothers are known to shield their foals from other zebras until the newborn recognizes their voice, their smell, and their calls.
How to Celebrate International Zebra Day?
You can celebrate International Zebra Day in many ways, including dressing up in faux zebra stripes, or share the word around about these fantastic but endangered animals.
You can also make donations to any animal care clinic. You can google ‘emergency animal clinic near me’ to donate to the cause of ensuring endangered domesticated pets are taken care of. This is important, especially if you have no way of reaching any organization directly in charge of preserving zebras in the wild.
Conclusion
Celebrating International Zebra Day is an essential aspect of ensuring these endangered species are preserved for generations. You can learn more about these animals by going online or visiting a good animal care clinic and sharing your thoughts with the vets.
