Hartmann's mountain zebra studbook 2011 - Marwell Zoo
Hartmann's mountain zebra studbook 2011 - Marwell Zoo
Hartmann's mountain zebra studbook 2011 - Marwell Zoo
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Stripe tripe tripe project<br />
project<br />
Prof. Morris Gosling, University of Newcastle,<br />
Prof. Gosling has developed a system for identifying individual <strong>mountain</strong> <strong>zebra</strong> using variation in stripe pattern<br />
which he uses in his studies of population ecology in southern Namibia. He has defined types of stripe (simple,<br />
branched, tree shaped, short, etc) and uses combinations of these variants at particular stripe positions to code<br />
individual identities. This system gives the opportunity to establish an ID library for any group of <strong>mountain</strong> <strong>zebra</strong><br />
and he has offered to carry out this exercise for <strong>Hartmann's</strong> <strong>mountain</strong> <strong>zebra</strong> in the captive breeding programme.<br />
This is a great help to the <strong>studbook</strong> keeper and the EEP/PMP coordinators as it will allow them to identify<br />
animals in their populations even if transponders and other markers are lost.<br />
Prof. Gosling is also interested in using the identified pattern variants to explore variation in stripes between and<br />
within populations. Stripe patterns differ in detail between the two sides of an individual's body but there appears<br />
to be a level of similarity between the two sides. This suggests that stripe variation has both genetic and<br />
developmental components and he aims to test this idea by estimating degrees of similarity between relatives. At<br />
the same time he will relate this to variation within and between wild populations in Namibia. Preliminary<br />
observations suggest that there are some differences between populations, for example in the frequency of<br />
missing gridiron stripes (the stripe that descends obliquely forward from the 'gridiron patch' above the base of the<br />
tail).<br />
Many zoos are already supporting this work by submitting photos of their Hartmann’s <strong>mountain</strong> <strong>zebra</strong>s to the intl<br />
<strong>studbook</strong> and Prof. Gosling. If you would like to contribute too, please take photos of both sides o fyour<br />
Hartmann’s <strong>zebra</strong>, name them with the <strong>studbook</strong> number and send them to Tanya Langenhorst on<br />
TanyaL@marwell.org.uk .<br />
AII