The plains zebra's habitat is generally, but not exclusively, treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands, both tropical and temperate.

Zebras are preyed upon by lions and spotted hyenas, Nile crocodiles and, to a lesser extent, leopards, cheetahs and African wild dogs.

The plains zebra remains common in game reserves, but is threatened by human activities, such as hunting for its meat and hide, as well as competition with livestock and encroachment by farming on much of its habitat.

The loss of open grasslands due to woody plant encroachment increases predation risk and therewith habitat.

[4] The plains zebra was formally classified by British zoologist John Edward Gray in 1824 as Equus burchellii.

It showed that the quagga had little genetic diversity and that it diverged from the other plains zebra subspecies only 120,000–290,000 years ago, during the Pleistocene and, possibly, the penultimate glacial maximum.

It is dumpy bodied with relatively short legs and a skull with a convex forehead and a somewhat concave nose profile.

As with all wild equids, the plains zebra has an erect mane along the neck and a tuft of hair at the end of the tail.

Plains zebras generally live in treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands, but can be found in a variety of habitats, both tropical and temperate.

[24] The loss of open grasslands due to woody plant encroachment increases predation risk and therewith habitat.

[3] Plains zebras primarily feed on grass; preferred species being Themeda triandra, Cynodon dactylon, Eragrostis superba and Cenchrus ciliaris.

[15] They appear to partial to eating scorched Colophospermum mopane and Pterocarpus rotundifolius, consuming both the leaves and twigs.

[25] Less common predators include leopards, cheetahs and African wild dogs, which mostly hunt foals.

By contrast, zebras may approach cheetahs and wild dogs and a single hyena is allowed to come within a few metres.

[14] When being hunted by hyenas or wild dogs, a zebra harem stays close together and cooperates to protect threatened members, particularly the young.

[9] The plains zebra is highly social and usually forms small family groups called harems, which consist of a single stallion, several mares and their recent offspring.

In addition, pairs of harems may create temporarily stable subgroups within a herd, allowing individuals to interact with those outside their group.

[9] When a mare reaches sexual maturity and has her first oestrous cycle, she attracts the attention of nearby stallions, both bachelors and harem leaders.

Zebra fights often become very violent, with the animals biting at each other's necks, heads, or legs, wrestling to the ground and occasional kicking.

Males make a short, high-pitched squeal when hurt, and foals emit a drawn-out wail when in distress.

Males exhibit the flehmen response to test for female receptivity, which involves the upper lip curling back to smell for urine (via the vomeronasal organ).

Young male zebras eventually leave their family groups as the relationship with their mothers fades after the birth of a sibling.

They are stable in Ethiopia, Malawi, and South Africa and possibly Angola; stable or increasing in Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini; and decreasing in Botswana, DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The quagga was probably vulnerable to extinction due to its limited distribution, and it may have competed with domestic livestock for forage.

[37] The last captive quagga, a female in Amsterdam's Natura Artis Magistra zoo, lived there from 9 May 1867 until it died on 12 August 1883, but its origin and cause of death are unclear.

The San people associated zebra stripes with water, rain and lighting due to its dazzling pattern.

[40] The plains zebra is the national animal of the Republic of Botswana and its stripes are depicted on the country's flag.

For the Shona people of Zimbabwe, the zebra is a totem animal, along with the eland, buffalo, lion and monkey.

They have been thought of as a more exotic alternative to horse; the comic book character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle is depicted riding a zebra.

The film Racing Stripes features a captive zebra ostracised from the horses and end up being ridden by a rebellious girl.