What Do Zebras Eat?

Zebras are herbivores – they obtain all their nutrition from plant material. Their diet can be broken down into three main components:

1. Grasses (≈90 % of intake)

• Primary food source for all zebra species.
• Preference for fresh, green grasses such as Bermuda grass, red oat grass, and other short to medium‑height varieties¹.
• Grazing occupies the majority of their daily activity.

2. Browse (leaves, shoots, herbs, twigs, bark, buds)

• Consumed when grasses are scarce or of lower quality (e.g., during drought).
• Grevy’s zebras especially browse on bark, buds, and small branches to meet nutrient needs⁶⁷.
• Leaves and shoots from shrubs and herbaceous plants provide additional protein and minerals³.

3. Occasional Extras (fruit, seeds, grains)

• In the wild, fruits and seeds are eaten opportunistically, often when they fall to the ground.
• Captive diets supplement with hay, specially formulated pellets, grains, and occasional fruit to ensure balanced nutrition¹¹⁰.

Species‑Specific Notes

Species	Typical Grass Preference	Notable Browse Items
Plains zebra	Short, green grasses	Leaves & shoots
Grevy’s zebra	Taller, coarser grasses	Bark, buds, twigs
Mountain zebra	Rocky‑slope grasses	Shrub leaves, herbs

Feeding Behavior

• Zebras spend 6–8 hours per day grazing, needing to ingest large volumes to meet energy demands due to the low nutrient density of grasses.
• Frequent visits to water sources are required for hydration, especially after long grazing bouts⁵.

Conservation Insight

While not a primary focus of all sources, zebras play a keystone role in savanna ecosystems by influencing grassland composition and providing prey for predators².

Bottom line: Zebras’ diet is dominated by grasses but is flexible enough to include a range of plant parts, allowing them to thrive across diverse African habitats.