Los Angeles Zoo Attempts Breeding of Endangered Zebras

LOS ANGELES, CA - Four endangered Grevy’s zebras brought together at the Los Angeles Zoo in hopes of producing offspring are now available for viewing.

The 4-year-old male and a trio of 2-year-old females came from the Bronx Zoo, Jacksonville Zoo and Oglebay Park Good Zoo.

“We eagerly anticipated this new group of Grevy’s zebras, and so far they are getting along and thriving in their new environment,” said Beth Schaefer, the Los Angeles Zoo’s general curator. “The last zebra birth at the L.A. Zoo was in 1988, so we hope this group will be fortunate enough to have a foal in the next few years.”

Grevy’s zebras typically live in the deserts of northern Kenya and Ethiopia, and are recognized by their big round ears, slender stripe pattern and white bellies.

Their population, down to about 2,500 in the wild, has been declining due to loss of habitat and water sources, overgrazing, competition with domesticated animals and hunting activity.

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City News Service; Photo: Los Angeles Zoo