Named after French president Jules Grévy, it is found in parts of Kenya and Ethiopia.

Grévy's zebra live in semi-arid savanna, where they feed on grasses, legumes, and browse, such as acacia; they can survive up to five days without water.

They differ from the other zebra species in that they do not live in a harem, and they maintain few long-lasting social bonds.

Stallion territoriality and mother–foal relationships form the basis of the social system of the Grévy's zebra.

Despite a handful of zoos and animal parks around the world having had successful captive-breeding programs, in its native home this zebra is listed by the IUCN as endangered.

In 2016, the population was reported to be "stable"; however, as of 2020, the wild numbers are still estimated at only around 2,250 animals, in part due to anthrax outbreaks in eastern Africa.

[8] Fossils of zebra-like equids have been found throughout Africa and Asia in the Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits.

[7] Notable examples include E. sanmeniensis from China, E. cautleyi from India, E. valeriani from central Asia and E. oldowayensis from East Africa.

[17] The belly and the area around the base of the tail lack stripes and are just white in color, which is unique to the Grévy's zebra.

[17] Grévy's zebra largely inhabits northern Kenya, with some isolated populations in Ethiopia.

[13] Ecologically, this species is intermediate between the arid-living African wild ass and the water-dependent plains zebra.

[13][19] Their hindgut fermentation digestive system allows them to subsist on diets of lower nutritional quality than that necessary for ruminant herbivores.

[13] The Grévy's zebra's main predator is the lion, but adults can be hunted by spotted hyenas.

[22] Adult stallions mostly live in territories during the wet seasons but some may stay in them year round if there's enough water left.

They also rub against trees, rocks and other objects to get rid of irritations such as itchy skin, hair or parasites.

[24] The resident stallions of territories will try to subdue the entering mares with dominance rituals and then continue with courtship and copulation.

A newborn zebra will follow anything that moves, so new mothers prevent other mares from approaching their foals while imprinting their own striping pattern, scent and vocalisation on them.

[26] To adapt to a semi-arid environment, Grévy's zebra foals have longer nursing intervals and wait until they are three months old before they start drinking water.

[7] In the seventeenth century, the king of Shoa (now central Ethiopia) exported two zebras; one to the Sultan of Turkey and another to the Dutch governor of Jakarta.

[28]: 20  Captive herds have been known to thrive, like at White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida, United States, where more than 70 foals have been born.

There, research is underway in partnership with the Conservation Centers for Species Survival on semen collection and freezing and on artificial insemination.

In the past, Grévy's zebras were threatened mainly by hunting for their skins which fetched a high price on the world market.