# Why wasn't the zebra domesticated? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170 "2013-11-30T23:16:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/1 "2013-11-30T23:16:11Z")
Right now I can think of a few difficulties in catching even a young zebra on the African plains: they keep moving in groups, often ahead of a huge herd of wildebeest, there are often lions around. But the same conditions were likely present in the Eurasian plains where the horse was domesticated. And when you do catch one, how hard is it to break/train? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_I\_Am](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Sam\_I\_Am](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_I_Am)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/2 "2013-11-30T23:20:39Z")
Zebras are inherently more skittish than wild horses - so much so that it’s not worth taming them. I don’t know if that’s because they have more predators? IIRC they also have more complex dietary requirements. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/3 "2013-11-30T23:40:49Z")
> [@Sam\_I\_Am](#): > > Zebras are inherently more skittish than wild horses - so much so that it’s not worth taming them. I don’t know if that’s because they have more predators? IIRC they also have more complex dietary requirements. Wolves don’t make good pets, and yet there are dogs. I think the answer to this is because it just didn’t happen. Who’s to say that zebras couldn’t have been bred out of their “skittishness” over many, many generations. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/4 "2013-11-30T23:50:12Z")
it was tried. they kept trying to escape. people should have expected that. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/5 "2013-11-30T23:52:40Z")
People have certainly attempted to tame zebras, and a few have been trained to pull carts or wagons. There may have been a few trained to saddle and bridle but if so they were zebras of rare temperment. Zebras as a general rule are more skittish, aggressive, and prone to attack humans than horses are, even feral horses. Zebras spent millions of years in Africa beside proto-humans and humans, which would have regarded zebras as food rather than transportation. Horses evolved outside of Africa and may have less instinctive fear of humans. WAG there, but it’s a possible factor. Crosses of zebras with horses or donkeys have been useful as domestic animals but, like crosses between horses and donkeys, they are infertile ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/6 "2013-12-01T00:45:41Z")
Couldn’t breed them in captivity: couldn’t get their damn pajamas off! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/7 "2013-12-01T00:49:06Z")
A man and his pet zebra walk into a bar. It’s about 5pm, but they’re ready for a good night of drinking. They start off slowly, watching TV, drinking beer, eating peanuts. As the night goes on they move to mixed drinks, and then shooters, one after the other. Finally, the bartender says: “Last call.” So the man says, “One more for me … and one more for my zebra.” The bartender sets them up and they shoot them back. Suddenly, the zebra falls over dead. The man throws some money on the bar, puts on his coat and starts to leave. The bartender, yells: “Hey buddy, you can’t just leave that lyin’ there.” To which the man replies: “That’s not a lion, that’s a zebra.” ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/8 "2013-12-01T00:52:25Z")
[http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/variables/zebra.html](http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/variables/zebra.html) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/9 "2013-12-01T01:08:16Z")
In the news around here recently: [Zebra attacks keeper at National Zoo; spooked gazelle breaks neck and dies amid panic - Washington Times](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/18/zebra-attacks-keeper-national-zoo-spooked-gazelle-/) Zebras are meaner than horses. Its not just that they spook, it’s that they don’t necessarily run. Zebras have been known to kick a lion to death. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/10 "2013-12-01T01:10:28Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [Guns Germs & Steel: Variables. Zebra | PBS](http://www.pbs.org/gunsgermssteel/variables/zebra.html) Not finding that too persuasive. Man, that is _H. sapiens_, only existed in Africa for 200,000 years. Yes, our ancestors evolved in African, but those ancestors, or similar species, existed outside Africa as well. As did plenty of deadly predators. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/11 "2013-12-01T01:27:40Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > In the news around here recently: [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/18/zebra-attacks-keeper-national-zoo-spooked-gazelle-/](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/18/zebra-attacks-keeper-national-zoo-spooked-gazelle-/) > > Zebras are meaner than horses. Its not just that they spook, it’s that they don’t necessarily run. Zebras have been known to kick a lion to death. I understand that they are also nastier biters than horses. They not only bite, but they often hang on and _keep_ biting unlike a horse. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/12 "2013-12-01T01:32:03Z")
Yup, they’re pretty much vicious stripy bastards. I knew a gentleman who breeds zedonks and zorses, and he never kept the zebra parent around beyond the mating. And this is a guy who ran a well-known animal sanctuary with a LOT of animals other folks wouldn’t mess with. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/13 "2013-12-01T01:32:15Z")
The Asian wild ass _(Equus hemionus)_ was never domesticated either. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/14 "2013-12-01T04:42:52Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > People have certainly attempted to tame zebras, and a few have been trained to pull carts or wagons. There may have been a few trained to saddle and bridle but if so they were zebras of rare temperment. Well, that’s a [zebra of a different color](http://www.sharonpoundart.com/2012/06/28/welcome/zebrabluegreen600-2/)! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/15 "2013-12-01T09:50:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Wolves don’t make good pets, and yet there are dogs. > > I think the answer to this is because it just didn’t happen. Who’s to say that zebras couldn’t have been bred out of their “skittishness” over many, many generations. Perhaps they could have, but when you have other, easier to tame species, why would you bother? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/16 "2013-12-01T12:42:54Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Perhaps they could have, but when you have other, easier to tame species, why would you bother? There weren’t any other, easier to tame species in zebra country. In other areas of the world, yes, but not where zebras were prevalent. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/17 "2013-12-01T13:52:49Z")
My nephews wife came from a ranch where they raise zebras on the cental coast n Ca. They get along well with the other live stock and they do cross them I believe. I will inquire as to wether or not they are breeding for a tameness. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/18 "2013-12-01T16:03:34Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Not finding that too persuasive. Man, that is _H. sapiens_, only existed in Africa for 200,000 years. Yes, our ancestors evolved in African, but those ancestors, or similar species, existed outside Africa as well. As did plenty of deadly predators. Why don’t you find it persuasive? Obviously, some animals are easier to domesticate then others. Isn’t it possible that the characteristics of zebras just so happened to make them not worth the effort of domesticating? Perhaps if Eurasian horses were a little more ill tempered, they never would have been domesticated at all. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/19 "2013-12-01T16:19:40Z")
Here is an [article](http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/va-teen-buys-trains-zebra/article_24a8e0ce-dc03-5fa6-90fa-e262cf3f5bd0.html?mode=story) about a teenaged girl who bought and trained her own zebra. (It worked, more or less, but it sounds like a lot of work for relatively little payoff.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170/20 "2013-12-01T16:26:05Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Why don’t you find it persuasive? Obviously, some animals are easier to domesticate then others. Isn’t it possible that the characteristics of zebras just so happened to make them not worth the effort of domesticating? Perhaps if Eurasian horses were a little more ill tempered, they never would have been domesticated at all. Did you read the link? The proposal was that zebras were less domesticatable because they evolved alongside humans: > [@](#): > > But in Africa, man and beast have evolved alongside one another for millions of years. Large mammals have learned to avoid — or if necessary, attack — human beings, resisting capture with some of the most sophisticated physiological characteristics on earth. While it’s true that our species evolved in Africa, the other species of Homo that existed in Africa also existed in Europe and Asia for close to 2M years, and our species only showed up in Africa about 200,000 years ago. So, large animals evolved alongside man in Africa, Europe and Asia for millions of years. Other large predators also existed outside Africa-- in fact, pretty much the whole panoply of large cats not to mention wolves and bears. Besides, we don’t have evidence that humans domesticated horses on purpose. More likely the domestication happened over a long period of time and through a process that both species found mutually beneficial, but which neither consciously chose. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wasnt-the-zebra-domesticated/675170.md?page=2)