5. WHERE DO THEY LIVE?
Zebras and horses mainly live in grasslands, where there is lots of grazing
land.
Donkeys live near deserts - they are adapted to the conditions of a desert
6. COMPETITION?
There is not much competition for zebras, horses, or asses, because they are
herbivores and their main food source is grass. Since they live in grasslands,
there will be tons of grass available for each animal. Thus, there is not much
competition for food.
However, there is competition for mating. Males have large teeth for fighting
when mating.
7. BIODIVERSITY OF EQUIDAE?
(WHO ARE THEY RELATED TO?)
They belong to the equine genus Equus:
Basically, all the living species of the horse
family, which is Equidae, are under one
genus, Equus.
Related to tapirs and rhinoceros
Equidae is one of the three families in
Perissodactytla. The other two families are
tapirs and rhinoceroses.
9. ADAPTATIONS-ZEBRAS
Zebras tend to live in herds, not just with other zebras, but with
other animals as well, such as giraffes; living in herds helps them
spot predators
They have a unique digestive system that allows them to gain
nutrition even from poor quality grass.
Have different types of teeth to suit their food needs
At front, they have strong incisors to use for biting off grass
In the back, they have molars and premolars that help them to chew their
food
Zebra also have high-crowned grinding teeth to protect their teeth from
wearing down from the silica content in grass.
Male zebras have large canine teeth for fighting
Their stripes provide a “dazzle” camouflage
Instead of hiding, the stripes break up the outline of zebra, causing
predators to suffer by making them misjudge the distance when they are
hunting zebras.
It also confuses parasitic flies, since the stripes on the zebra are different
than other mammals.
10. ADAPTATIONS-HORSES
Have eyes on both sides of their
head to help them sight
predators or any possible
dangers
Strong hooves allow them to
defend themselves and to run
and walk on almost any ground.
Live in herds to maintain warmth
and to protect themselves from
predators
11. ADAPTATIONS-ASSES
Since many asses live in the
desert, they have digestive
tracts that enable them to eat
coarse plants, such as bushes
and barks.
Have crowned teeth to help
them grind silica-containing
grass
Their long limbs and narrow
hooves allow them to move
swiftly and easily
The grey or tan colour of asses
provides camouflage in the
desert.
13. HOW DOES PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SUCCESSION AFFECT
EQUIDAE?
For any of the two types of
ecological succession, horses,
asses, and zebras will need to
adapt to a whole new
environment. Especially when
plant species are altered, there
will be limitations for their food
sources. Gradually, the equidae
will develop new adaptations to
accustom themselves to their
new environment. Then there will
be more adaptive radiations.
Also, with primary succession, it
may allow new habitats for the
equidae due to the newly
established environment.
