90 Great and Small Game of Africa 



Grevy's Zebra {Equiis grevyi) 



In Somaliland 



Somali Name, Fer'o 



This beautiful animal has in the Somali country a sharply defined 

 range, and is found nowhere near the latitudes of the northern coast. It 

 is common in Central Ogaden between the Tug Fafan and the Webbi, 

 some 300 miles south-west of Berbera ; but the district where it is found 

 is all in the Abyssinian sphere of influence. There are no zebras known 

 to exist in any part of the British territory either in the explored or in the 

 unexplored tracts. 



When Grevy's zebra was for the first time met with in its own haunts 

 by Europeans in 1893, it was found just north of Durhi, in the Malingur 

 country, a few marches south of Sassamani on the road to Ime. Its range 

 extended from there to the foot of the long northern slope of the Webbi 

 Shabeyleh River, almost to the river itself. Zebras are not found so far 

 north as the open prairies of the Haud. They are doubtless found in suitable 

 country everywhere in Gallaland, on the southern side of the Webbi. 



The meat of this zebra is highly prized by the Somali tribes occupying 

 the districts it inhabits, the flesh is excellent, rather better, in fact, than 

 any of the antelope venison except the oryx, and is rather like beet. 



The localities which these zebras seem to prefer in Ogaden are low 

 plateaux, say some 2500 feet above sea-level, the sides of which fall in 

 broken ravines to the river valleys. On these plateaux is a powdery red 

 surface soil sustaining rich pasture, with occasional outcrops of rock, and 

 stunted thorn forest growing in scattered clumps. The zebras inhabiting this 

 broken, hilly ground are met with in small droves of about half-a-dozen. 



In the country mentioned they are very easy to stalk, but no true 

 sportsman would describe their pursuit as sport. There are occasions, 

 however, when the traveller requires a specimen for scientific purposes or 



