Herbivores and Grazers
Plains zebras are herbivores and their diet consists primarily of grasses. They are grazers, meaning they eat grasses that are close to the ground.
Breakdown of Their Diet
* Grasses: This makes up the majority of their diet, including various types of grasses like short grasses, tall grasses, and even dry grasses.
* Forbs: These are broad-leaved herbs that are not grasses, and zebras will eat them occasionally as a supplement to their grass diet.
* Twigs and leaves: They may nibble on these, especially during the dry season when grasses are scarce.
* Fruits: They are known to eat fruits if available, but they are not a primary part of their diet.
Zebras have specialized teeth adapted for grinding grasses. They have a large digestive system to break down the tough cellulose in grasses, aided by symbiotic bacteria in their gut.