giraffe vs plains zebra

Giraffa camelopardalis compared with Equus quagga

Key Differences

  • giraffe is Vulnerable while plains zebra is Near Threatened.
  • giraffe is 3.4x heavier than plains zebra.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank giraffe plains zebra
Kingdom same Animalia (動物) Animalia (動物)
Phylum same Chordata (脊索動物) Chordata (脊索動物)
Class same Mammalia (哺乳類) Mammalia (哺乳類)
Order Artiodactyla (偶蹄目) Perissodactyla (奇蹄目)
Family Giraffidae (Giraffes) Equidae (Horses & Zebras)
Genus Giraffa (Giraffes) Equus (Horses & Zebras)
Species Giraffa camelopardalis Equus quagga

Evolutionary Relationship

giraffe and plains zebra share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (哺乳類)

Conservation Status

giraffe

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~117.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

plains zebra

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~750.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute giraffe plains zebra
Diet Herbivore Herbivore
Average Lifespan 25 years 25 years
Average Length 5.5 m 2.3 m
Average Weight 1.2 t 350.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

giraffe

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Ecuador. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

plains zebra

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

giraffe

地球上で最も背の高い動物であるキリン(Giraffa camelopardalis)は体高が5.5mに達し、体重は最大1,750kgにもなる。すべての哺乳類と同じ7個の頸椎からなる長い首は、アフリカのサバンナや疎林のアカシアの木に食物を求めて進化した。永続的な絆を持たない緩やかな群れで生活する社会的動物で、超低周波音と身振りで意思疎通する。生息地の喪失と密猟により個体数が減少している危急種である。

plains zebra

最も個体数の多い野生の馬科動物であるサバンナシマウマ(Equus quagga)は、東アフリカと南アフリカの草原およびサバンナに小さな家族グループから大規模な集団まで様々な形で生息する。個体ごとに独特の白黒の縞模様は、捕食者を混乱させ、吸血昆虫を防ぎ、個体識別を助けると考えられている。シマウマはライオン、ハイエナ、ワニの主要な餌となり、サバンナの食物網を支える。

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia