The Zebra Salon

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Grooming can occur at any time of day, and a single session may last up to half an hour. Standing face-to-face, grooming partners begin by nibbling each other’s neck and work their way down toward the tail on one side and then to the other. Every zebra in the group engages in mutual grooming. Watching who grooms whom can help you discern relationships between individuals. The animals with the strongest bonds groom each other most frequently. You’ll notice, after watching a herd for a long time, that the stallion plays favorites when it comes to grooming the mares. He grooms certain mares more often, and if there is a young mare in heat, he will pay most attention to her. In bachelor groups, all the males groom one another, but without noticeable preferences.