Zebra Coloring Pages

The Stylish Runner of the Big Grasslands The Zebra is a member of the horse family. They live in the big grasslands, or savannas, of Africa. Their best feature is definitely the pretty black and white stripes all over their bodies. Each Zebra has a pattern that is a little bit different. It works just like a human fingerprint to help them know who their friends are!

The Story Behind Their Name

The name of the Zebra has a cool story connected to its look and history.

• English Name: In English, they are called Zebra.

• Where the Name Comes From: People say this word comes from old words that meant "wild donkey" in Latin or "wild horse of Africa" in Portuguese.

• Japanese Name Origin: In Japanese, they were named Shimauma, which simply means "striped horse," because of the stripes on their body.

Where They Live and What They Eat

• Countries They Live In: You can find them in many eastern and southern parts of Africa, like Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa.

• Homes: They live in dry grasslands with a few trees. Some types of Zebra even live high up in the mountains!

• What They Eat: Zebra are plant eaters that mostly eat grass. They have super strong stomachs, so they can munch on tough grass that other animals cannot eat. They like to live near water so they can drink every day.

Their Voices and Amazing Powers

• Voices: Zebra can bark like dogs saying "Woof! Woof!" or whinny like horses. They use different calls to talk to friends or to warn them of danger.

• Secrets of the Stripes: Their stripes have amazing powers!

  • Hide and Seek: When many Zebra gather together in the grass, all the stripes blend together. This makes it hard to see where one ends and another begins. It protects them from hungry animals like lions!

  • Bug Repellent: Scientists recently found out that the stripes confuse pesky biting flies, so they do not land on the Zebra as much.

• Running Speed: To get away from enemies like lions, Zebra can run super fast, over 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph)! They are also great at running in zig-zags to trick anyone chasing them!

Here are some tips to make your Zebra look cool and realistic!

Color the stripes carefully

• Did you know a Zebra has deep black skin? Its black and white fur grows on top of it.

• Keep the white parts clean on your coloring page. Use a dark black colored pencil or marker to fill in the black stripes clearly. Make the stripes wide on the bottom and thin on the face to look like a real Zebra.

Add shadows to make it look 3D

• Add a bit of light gray under the belly and near the top of the legs. This gives shadows to the white fur and makes the body look strong and real.

• For the mane, make quick little strokes to draw short lines. This makes the hair look like it stands right up!

Tips for the face

• The snout has no stripes. It is usually deep black or dark gray. Color this spot well to give your Zebra a sharp, cool look.

• Leave a tiny white dot in the eyes. It makes your Zebra look bright and alive!

Draw the savanna background

• Draw dry grass under the feet with light brown or yellow. Add the big African sun or acacia trees behind it. Now you have a wonderful picture of a Zebra running through nature!

Why Do Zebra Have Stripes?

People say that the stripes on Zebra have a very important job. Recent studies show that the strongest idea is that they are to keep dangerous bugs away, like flies that carry sickness. The fine stripe pattern confuses the bugs' eyes and stops them from landing on Zebra's body.

What Color Is Their Skin underneath?

Zebra are covered in white and black fur, but do you know what color their skin is underneath? Actually, Zebra's skin is completely black. White fur and black fur grow on top of their black skin to make that beautiful pattern. If you look at their belly, you might see their dark skin.

They Bark Like a Dog?!

Since Zebra are in the horse family, you might think they neigh like a horse, but they are a little different. Believe it or not, they make high sounds like "Woof-woof!" or "Yip-yip!", just like a small dog. If you hear a dog barking on the savanna, it might actually be Zebra!

Their Patterns Are All Different, Just Like "Fingerprints"

At first look, Zebra's stripes might all look the same, but every single Zebra has a different pattern. Just like human "fingerprints", there are no two Zebra in the world with the exact same pattern. Zebra babies learn the pattern on their mother's back so they do not get lost.