New zebra paddock extension at Fife Zoo opening this weekend

A new zebra paddock extension is opening from today at Fife Zoo.

The attraction is home to a bachelor herd of 4 male Grevy’s Zebras.

Fife Zoo has been home to Grevy’s Zebras since 2017, the first animals that arrived at the zoo.

The first pair, Jez and Marty from West Midlands Safari Park in April 2017, was welcomed to the Zoo in the Kingdom and a second pair, Allingham and Archie from Edinburgh Zoo, arrived in September 2019.

Until recently, the zebras have only been visible from a distance, but they are on full display from this weekend.

Michael Knight, Fife Zoo's Director, said "We fully appreciate that this expansion has been under development for a very long time now.

"The zebras have been at the zoo longer than any other animals and we know that visitors have been incredibly patient while we develop out towards that area of the zoo.

"We’re all incredibly excited for visitors to be able to view the zebras properly."

Naturally occuring in East African grasslands in Ethiopia and Kenya, Grevy’s zebras are the largest of the zebra species.

Like all zebras, Grevy’s have distinct black and white stripes unique to each individual zebra, just like human fingerprints.

Grevy’s zebras are classed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature with less than 2,000 left in the wild.

Threats to wild zebras include competition with domestic livestock, drought, habitat loss/fragmentation and poaching.

Although not a breeding herd, the Grevy’s zebras at Fife Zoo are part of the European breeding programme and act as ambassadors for wild Grevy’s zebras, highlighting the conservation work in East Africa carried out by the Grevy’s Zebra Trust, which the Zoo has supported since 2017.