Pop Quiz: Zebra Migration

The plains zebra has one of the longest documented land-mammal migration in Africa. How far do they travel over 10 to 20 days?

plains zebra herd running

© naturepl.com/Anup Shah/WWF

You’re right—150 miles.

Satellite collaring of a few individual animals enabled WWF and partners to discover that the plains zebra has one of Africa’s longest land mammal migrations. This journey begins in December at the start of the wet season, when thousands of plains zebras migrate 150 miles from Namibia to Botswana over 10 to 20 days.

From wildebeest in the Serengeti to caribou in the Arctic tundra, ungulates (hoofed mammals) complete some of the animal kingdom’s most impressive land-based migrations. In search of food and breeding grounds, ungulates avoid harsh seasonal conditions and seek out critical resources by trekking hundreds of miles on hoof through unforgiving terrain.

Ungulate migrations help ecosystems by transporting seeds and tilling soil to promote plant growth and providing crucial prey for carnivores and scavengers, thus supporting complex food webs across vast territories. However, despite their importance, ungulate migrations are in peril due to human activity. Poorly planned infrastructure (like roads and fences), agriculture, and settlements all fragment landscapes and create deadly obstacles for migrating herds.

Mapping current migration patterns is a crucial first step toward creating effective conservation strategies and protecting these critical animal movements.

Find out how more about a new interactive online atlas that tracks the migration patterns of reindeer, plains zebras, wildebeests, and other ungulates.