Hello, my name is Zeb. I am a zebra and I live in what is called a Zoo. If I look bored, it is because I am. My newest mare and our foal are drinking from a trough, and have their backs to you now, but don’t judge the mare’s looks by her posterior, because she really is a looker.
I hate the little confined area we live in, although we were provided with a shelter to go into when it rains or snows, and that is nice. But the space is not enough. I am a nomadic animal, it is my nature to roam, looking for the freshest grass and water. I can travel thousands of miles in search of the perfect place to eat, drink and rest. When chased by a lion or other predator, I can run 40+ miles per hour, so I am fast and have great endurance. There are no predators here, and I can’t complain about that, but I wish just once I could be a part of a great herd made up of several harems (a harem is a family herd), facing a lion in a giant semi-circle, daring the beast to try to take one of us. Of course, with no predators, I will probably live to be 30, and I can’t say I hate that.
My foal will never get the chance to become part of a bachelor herd of zebras, comprised of zebra males from the age of three and up. The bachelor herd stays together, partying and checking out the mares until they are old and strong enough to fight to have a mare and a territory of their own. I wish he could experience those fun, carefree days. Of course, it isn’t fun fighting for your mare, and let me tell you, we zebras can be mean when it comes down to it. We bite, kick and plough ourselves into our competition in order to win a fight. Sometimes, a zebra dies in a fight. But once a male emerges victorious, he can establish a herd with his own mare, and a territory for just that family.
Well, I better get going. I heard there is fresh grass along the fence line in the back of our enclosure. That’s about all a guy like me has to look forward to now.
The image depicts four zebras standing on the dirt. There are trees in the background. One zebra grazes (facing us) slightly beyond a central tree; two zebras appear to be drinking from a water trough at the base of the tree, they are facing away from us; to their right is the fourth zebra, much closer and looking directly at the camera.
#FFFC
A Little Bit of Everything, With Love 