A Lost Zebra of Southern plains

 

Common name- Quagga

Scientific name- Equus quagga quagga

Kingdom- Animalia 

Phylum- Chordata

Class- Mammalia

Diet- Herbivores 

Weight- 200 - 300 kg

Height- 1.2m to 1.4m

Life span-40yrs (approx)

Habitat- grasalands of South Africa

The quagga was the southernmost distributed plains zebra, mainly living south of the Orange River. It was first described by South African naturalists, in 1778.The genetic evidence proved that the quagga was a subspecies of the plains zebra. In 

It had brown and white stripes on the head and neck, brown upper parts and a white belly, tail and legs. It was distinguished from other zebras by its limited pattern of primarily brown and white stripes, mainly on the front part of the body.It is believed that they were lived in a herds of 30-50 quaggas.In 1984, the quagga was the first extinct animal to have its DNA analyzed.

As it was easy to find and kill, the quagga was hunted by early Dutch settlers and later by Afrikaners to provide meat or for their skins. The skins were traded or used locally. 

The quagga had disappeared from much of its range by the 1850s.The last known wild quagga died during the drough in 1878. Some quaggas are captured in zoos of Europe but they were died after some years.The last captive specimen died in Amsterdam on 12 August 1883. 

The last population in the wild, in the Orange Free State, was disappeared in the late 1870s. And this species toatally finished in 1883.