Equus – Horses
Horses, zebras, and donkeys –they carry, they kick, and they protect!
The horse family is the most widespread group of hoofed mammals, with only one surviving genus, Equus. All living equids are thought to have originated in North America, but the current distribution spans Africa, Asia, and virtually every continent on planet earth. Thanks to their huge and widespread populations, members of this family are not considered of any particular concern in terms of conservation.
Also, modern equids are highly adapted to the deserts, grasslands, and steppes that they inhabit and are primarily grazing animals that can feed on various fibrous and tough types of grass. But when needed, they can also survive by eating leaves and fruits.
Species in this genus
African wild ass
Able to survive water lose up to 30% of the body weight, and capable of restoring it within 2-5 minutes when drinking water
Grévy’s zebra
The largest wild species of the horses family and the most threatened zebra species
Przewalski’s horse
The species that survived extinction in the wild!
Wild horse
One of the prehistoric horses, it is the true forefather of today’s horses
Mountain zebra
The zebra with dewlap climing over steep, rugged terrains, as high as 2 km (1.2 miles)
Onager
Two out of six subspecies were hunted to extinction: the European & Syrian wild ass
Plains zebra
These zebras with the underbelly stripes are the longest migrators in Africa
Kiang
With long legs built for speed, and a coat that shines like the golden rays of the Himalayan sun
Horse
Have a strong fight-or-flight response, will usually flee when threatened but will defend themselves when fleeing is impossible, or the young are threatened
