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 A zorse in an 1899 photograph from J. C. Ewart's The Penycuik Experiments. "Romulus: one year old. "
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| Equus zorse? |
A zorse or zebrula is the offspring of a zebra stallion and a horse mare; the rarer reverse pairing is sometimes called a hebra. Zebras are African Equids best known for their distinctive white and black stripes The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. It is a zebroid: this term refers to any hybrid equine with zebra ancestry. A zebroid is a cross between a Zebra and any other Equid: essentially a zebra hybrid. In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa.
The zorse is shaped more like a horse than a zebra, but has boldly striped legs and, often, stripes on the body or neck. Like most other interspecies hybrids, it is infertile.
Cossar Ewart, Professor of Natural History at Edinburgh (1882-1927) and a keen geneticist, crossed a zebra stallion with horse and pony mares in order to investigate the theory of telegony, or paternal impression. James Cossar Ewart ( November 26, 1851 &ndash December 31, 1933) was a Scottish Zoologist. Telegony is a theory in Heredity, now discredited but widely believed until the late 19th century holding that offspring can inherit the characteristics of a previous mate of Cossar Ewart used Arabian mares. Similar experiments were carried out by the US Government and reported in "Genetics in Relation to Agriculture" by E. B. Babcock and R. E. Clausen and in "The Science of Life" by H.G. Wells, J. Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 &ndash 13 August 1946 He was an outspoken socialist and a pacifist, his later works becoming increasingly political Huxley and G. P. Wells (c. 1929).
Zebras, donkeys and horses are all members of the genus equus -- equines. Equines can be crossbred to produce hybrids. They are all slightly different in genetic makeup, but still all equines. That is, horses have 64 chromosomes, zebra have between 44 and 62 (depending on species). Most zorses have 63 chromosomes.
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Coloration
Zorses combine the zebra striping overlaid on colored areas of the hybrid's coat. Zorses are most often bred using solid colour horses. If the horse parent is piebald (black and white) or skewbald (other color and white) (these are known in the USA as paint/pinto) the zorse will inherit the genes for white patches. Only the coloured areas will have zebra striping, resulting in a zorse with white patches and striped patches. This effect is seen in the zebroid Eclyse born in Stukenbrock, Germany in 2007 to a zebra mare called Eclipse and a stallion called Ulysses. A zebroid is a cross between a Zebra and any other Equid: essentially a zebra hybrid.
Zorses and humans
"It soon became apparent that zorses are not the most easiest of the equine family to get along with. " -- Trainer Pat Parelli, on working with zorses.
Zorses are preferred over purebred zebras for riding and draught for several reasons, although they are still not as easily handled as purebred horses and should not be ridden or purchased by novices. Their more horselike shape, particularly in the shoulder region, makes it easier to obtain harness.
Zebras, being wild animals, and not domesticated like horses and donkeys, pass on their wild animal traits to their offspring. Zebras, while not usually very large, are extremely strong and aggressive. Similarly, zorses have a strong temperament and can be aggressive.
Notable zorses
- A zorse (more accurately a zony) was born at Eden Ostrich World, Cumbria, England in 2001 after a zebra was left in a field with a Shetland pony. A zony is the offspring of a Zebra stallion and a Pony mare Medium size pony mares are preferred in order to produce riding zonies but zebras have been crossed Boundaries and divisions Cumbria is neighboured by Northumberland, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the Lieutenancy It was referred to as a Zetland. This was the inspiration for the 2003 'Song For the Zorse' by London band The Coronets.
- According to local lore brown zorses have been spotted in the foot hills of the Appalachians in and around Charlottesville, Virginia.
- In the Viva La Bam episode Groundhogs Day in the final race, Brandon Dicamillo's sled is a Zorse. Viva La Bam was a Reality television series that starred Bam Margera and his crew. It was colored pink, blue, purple and red and on the 'uncommentary' on the DVD seasons of 'Viva La Bam' Tim Glomb says "If you send me a list of all the episode where the Zorse is I'll give you a dollar".
- The 2007 movie I'm Reed Fish features a zorse named Zabrina. I'm Reed Fish is an American Film, based on a story by Reed Fish and released theatrically on June 1, 2007.
- An animated zorse appears in the alternate ending of the movie Racing Stripes. Racing Stripes is a 2005 Adventure / Comedy movie, directed by Frederik Du Chau. It is the son of Stripes (a zebra) and Sandy, a white filly. A filly is a young Female Horse too young to be called a mare.
- Zorses are briefly mentioned several times in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels. A Song of Ice and Fire is an award-winning series of Epic fantasy Novels by American novelist and screenwriter George R
- Sutton Coleman wrote a sonnet about Zorses and published it in his 2007 book, "Ligers, Tigons, and Zorses, Oh My!"
References
- BBC News (26 June, 2001): "Zebra Hybrid is Cute Surprise"
- Metro (28 June, 2007): "A single-zorsed story"
External links
- The International Zebra Zorse Zonkey Association
- Zorseman.com
- Zebra/Horse Hybrids
- Video of a Zorse
- Newsvideo of a Zorse (German)
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