A shy creature that roams widely, the cheetah is not seen as easily sunvalleyskivacations as some other cats. Never numerous, cheetahs have become extinct in many areas, principally due to shrinking habitat, loss of species to prey upon, disease and a high rate of cub mortality. In some areas 50 to 75 percent of all cheetah cubs die before 3 months. Zebras, horses and wild asses are all equids, sunvalleyskivacations long-lived animals that move quickly for their large size and have teeth built for grinding and cropping grass. Zebras have horse like bodies, but their manes are made of short, sunvalleyskivacations erect hair, their tails are tufted at the tip and sunvalleyskivacations their coats are striped. sunvalleyskivacations Three species of zebra still occur in Africa, two of which are found in East Africa. The most numerous sunvalleyskivacations and widespread species in the east is Burchell''s, also known as the sunvalleyskivacations common or plains zebra.

Family members look out for one another; if one becomes separated from the rest, the others search for it. The group adjusts its traveling pace to accommodate the old and the weak. The females within a family observe a strict hierarchical system. sunvalleyskivacations A dominant mare always leads the group, while others follow her in single file, each with their foals directly behind them. The lowest- ranking mare is the last in line. Although the stallion is the dominant sunvalleyskivacations member of the family, he operates outside the system and has no special place in the line. Zebras are avid grazers. Both Burchell''s and Grevy''s zebras are in constant search of green pastures. In the dry season, they can live on coarse, dry grass only if they are within a short distance (usually no farther than 20 miles away) of water holes. Grevy''s zebras are now mainly restricted to parts sunvalleyskivacations of northern Kenya.

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