Native to the mountainous regions of Angola, Namibia, and South West Africa, the Mountain Zebra is a subspecies of the zebra known as Equus zebra or Equus hartmannae. The dry, stony, rugged, and hilly terrain is ideal for the mountain zebra. While they typically live at altitudes of up to 2,000 metres above sea level, mountain zebras descend to warmer regions during the winter.
The Cape Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra) and the Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra are the two types of zebras found in the mountains of Southern Africa (Equus hartmannae). Formerly, these two groups were split into two distinct species.
The Southern Cape is home to the Cape Mountain Zebra.
The square flap of skin or dewlap on the throat is the most distinguishing feature of both mountain zebra species, and it is most developed in the males.
Unlike regular zebras, mountain zebras have solid white bellies in addition to their black and white striped bodies. Ears up to 8 inches in length and 4 one-toed hooves distinguish these animals.
A full-grown Mountain zebra can reach a length of 7.3 feet, while their height ranges from 4 to 4.5 feet. They can weigh anything from 573 to 815 pounds and have an average tail length of 20 inches.
The Cape Mountain Zebra, the smallest of the zebras, reaches a maximum height of about 47 inches. Extremely wide stripes cover its otherwise white body. In contrast, the Hartmann’s broad stripes are actually an off-white tint.
Compared to the Hartmann’s Zebra, the Cape Mountain Zebra is stockier; it also has larger ears and a larger dewlap. The muzzles of mountains zebras are dark, and their heads are short and striped.
Mountain zebras feed on tufts of grass, bark, leaves, fruits, and roots. Digging for water is a common practise for mountain zebras.
Mornings and evenings are peak activity times for mountain zebra. Around half of their waking hours are devoted to feeding.
There is typically one adult male (the stallion), one to five adult females (the mares), and the young in a herd of mountain zebras. In a herd, the stallion is the alpha male. Herds often congregate for short periods of time, sometimes numbering as many as 30 animals.
Although mountain zebras don’t gather in the massive herds seen in the plains, they do have a harem-based social structure. They can wander up to twenty kilometres from a water source during the colder months.
Mountain zebras only drink water at night if they are in a high-density predator region, but they will drink at any time of day if they are not in danger.
Zebras have excellent day and night vision. They have colour vision and forward-facing binocular vision. Additionally, they possess acute hearing that allows them to pick up on sounds from very far away. In addition to their excellent smell and vision, mountain zebras have an exceptionally refined sense of taste.
The methods applied to hunting the somewhat larger Burchell’s zebra also applies to the mountain zebra. Both the Cape mountain zebra and the Hartman’s mountain zebra are essentially the same species that live in different parts of the world.
The Cape mountain zebra is located in the southernmost regions of South Africa’s Eastern and Western Cape provinces, whereas the Hartman’s variant is found primarily in the western arid parts of Namibia. The Cape variation might be slightly smaller, but otherwise the two species are very similar.
As their name suggests, these sociable creatures are most at home in the mountains. The Hartmans are also common in the coastal dunes. Lack of a shadow stripe is the most noticeable physical difference between mountain zebras and Burchell’s zebras. Furthermore, the mountain species is distinguished by its white underbelly, while the Burchell’s zebra’s stripes extend dorsally as well.
Mornings and evenings are peak times for sightings of the mountain zebra. Contrary to the Hartman’s, the Cape variety does not strive to find shelter from the sun during the hottest parts of the day. This is probably because of the scorching heat that characterises the Hartman’s range, where this phenomenon is observed.
Mountain zebras congregate around water sources, so early morning or late afternoon is the best time to hunt them. If you’re looking for a trophy hide, you should avoid the old stallions because they’ll be scarred from fighting and instead focus on the younger males or the mares.
It is not advised that you go mountain zebra hunting with anything less than a.270 Win. Shooting this striped little toughie with anything less than a 30 calibre is asking for trouble. Don’t worry about being outgunned; a careless shot with a light rifle will result in a very lengthy day of searching.
Keep in mind that the accuracy of your shot placement is the single most significant factor in any rifle’s effectiveness. When hunting mountain zebras, a high heart/lung shot is your best bet. Do not shoot over the midline; instead, aim directly up the front leg between a third and half way into the torso.
If you move your aim forward and up toward the top of your shoulder blade, you can deliver a devastating spinal/neck shot that will stop your zebra in his tracks. When hunting Zebra, if you get a frontal profile, aim for the centre of the chest, between the shoulders and below the neck.
When you book with us, you can rest assured that you’ll be hunting mountain zebra in prime conditions and with the help of our knowledgeable guides. In prime locations, such as expansive public wildlife reserves, we provide first-rate mountain zebra hunts.
We are committed to giving our clients not just the best trophies possible, but also an authentic hunting adventure.
