Zebra Coloration Question

[Nyati]

From Limpopo

 

[Firebird]

Another feature of the Hartman variety is the lump where the neck meets the head. Taxidermists often miss this piece of anatomy on this particular specie

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[Tundra Tiger]

My two trips, hands down my favorite meat was zebra (Burchell's if if matters). It was better than anything else I tried, and all of it was very good.

 

[dchum]

I’ve never eaten either. Hartmann zebra is supposed to be good. I can’t say I have an interest in trying burchell zebra if I have other meat in camp.

It was my favorite meat.

We had it in cured salami every night for appetizers with crackers and cheese,

We had it in German style sausage and potatoes, and we also had backstrap steak grilled over charcoal.

Lastly was zebra burger with fresh made buns

All Hartmanns zebra in namib. It was fantastic red meat. If they don’t had any fresh zebra in camp I will have to shoot a Hartmanns for the week.

 

[BryceM]

I’ve eaten Hartman’s zebraschnitzel. It was amazing.

 

[FlyGuy]

It was my favorite meat.

We had it in cured salami every night for appetizers with crackers and cheese,

We had it in German style sausage and potatoes, and we also had backstrap steak grilled over charcoal.

Lastly was zebra burger with fresh made buns
View attachment 626869

All Hartmanns zebra in namib. It was fantastic red meat. If they don’t had any fresh zebra in camp I will have to shoot a Hartmanns for the week.
View attachment 626870
View attachment 626871

It was my favorite meat.

We had it in cured salami every night for appetizers with crackers and cheese,

We had it in German style sausage and potatoes, and we also had backstrap steak grilled over charcoal.

Lastly was zebra burger with fresh made buns
View attachment 626869

All Hartmanns zebra in namib. It was fantastic red meat. If they don’t had any fresh zebra in camp I will have to shoot a Hartmanns for the week.
View attachment 626870
View attachment 626871

A burger with a knife and fork! The horror….
Zebra is great venison though. Cold smoked Hartmann zebra fillet is something special.

 

[Dewald]

Both Burchell’s and Hartmann’s are very good to eat. It isa pain to trim the yellow fat off of a Zebra carcass though.

For those travelling Namibia, Joe’s Beerhouse in Windhoek serves a mean Zebra steak

 

[Sabre]

I have eaten Burchell and it was delicious. The vast majority of people in camp thought it was the best of all the plains game tried. I have heard that from others as well.

But I have also seen people on this site say they thought it was terrible, and some people said it was the yellow fat that made it taste bad.

Not sure why the discrepancy, but my own personal experience eating it was that it was very good.

 

[Adipose]

All these years I had been told zebra was not that good. This past trip we had different game every night. One night we had a cook off, Zebra and I believe eland. Everyone got to choose what meat was better, it was 100% for the zebra. It really was amazing.

 

[Sabre]

I have noticed a lot of people say that Zebra isn't good because they heard it wasn't good but never tried it to find out. I also noticed that a lot of people I've hunted with are grossed out by the idea of it being too similar to a horse. I thought it tasted amazing.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

My two trips, hands down my favorite meat was zebra (Burchell's if if matters). It was better than anything else I tried, and all of it was very good.

Among friends and family it is well known that I am game to try eating just about anything anyone else is eating and I like game meat. The one zebra that I have taken was Burchell's in 1983. I noticed that there were a lot of ticks attached, mostly between the hind legs. I made a comment about it and the PH said to wait until I saw the inside. When the guts were pulled out the same intestines and stomach were moving. They were filled with some type of parasites (worms I'd guess). I was kind of grossed out, and didn't complain when they weren't serving it up for dinner.

 

[Sabre]

Among friends and family it is well known that I am game to try eating just about anything anyone else is eating and I like game meat. The one zebra that I have taken was Burchell's in 1983. I noticed that there were a lot of ticks attached, mostly between the hind legs. I made a comment about it and the PH said to wait until I saw the inside. When the guts were pulled out the same intestines and stomach were moving. They were filled with some type of parasites (worms I'd guess). I was kind of grossed out, and didn't complain when they weren't serving it up for dinner.

That's interesting because one prominent theory of why zebra are colored the way they are is it deters parasites and they prefer other plains game animals to zebra.

Another theory is temperature control.

It would be interesting to see a study comparing levels of parasites in the different species. Although, maybe we don't want to know. hahaha.

 

[Hunt anything]

This thread has taken somewhat of a detour! Sorry to the OP
I believe Ruark wrote about zebra fat being special to the natives in Tanzania, they used it for all sorts of ailments.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

That's interesting because one prominent theory of why zebra are colored the way they are is it deters parasites and they prefer other plains game animals to zebra.

Another theory is temperature control.

It would be interesting to see a study comparing levels of parasites in the different species. Although, maybe we don't want to know. hahaha.

I have heard that the stripes threw off the tsetse flies. I don't suppose the internal parasites care what color the outside is. As my daughter would have said when she was still living st home, "Eeew!"

 

[migrabill]

As an aside, I shot Zebra #7!

 

[Sabre]

This thread has taken somewhat of a detour! Sorry to the OP
I believe Ruark wrote about zebra fat being special to the natives in Tanzania, they used it for all sorts of ailments.

As the OP, I don't mind. Hahaha.

I feel like the first few answers did a great job at answering the question. I think the differences I have seen mostly have to do with Hartmann's Mountain Zebra having the lighter stripes especially in the face. And I do think there is some natural variation even within the Burchell that explains some of what I've seen as well.

I do wonder because the one person said they have seen some turn from black to yellow from taxidermy. So if anyone reading this comes along and has had that happen with theirs, I would be interested in knowing because I think it's interesting.

 

[Sabre]

I have heard that the stripes threw off the tsetse flies. I don't suppose the internal parasites care what color the outside is. As my daughter would have said when she was still living st home, "Eeew!"

I agree, that the parasites inside wouldn't care about the color of the animal. But, insect bites are a primary method of parasite infection.

But they also pick up a lot through grazing I am sure as well. So I doubt their coloration helps them in that regard.

 

[dchum]

As the OP, I don't mind. Hahaha.

I feel like the first few answers did a great job at answering the question. I think the differences I have seen mostly have to do with Hartmann's Mountain Zebra having the lighter stripes especially in the face. And I do think there is some natural variation even within the Burchell that explains some of what I've seen as well.

I do wonder because the one person said they have seen some turn from black to yellow from taxidermy. So if anyone reading this comes along and has had that happen with theirs, I would be interested in knowing because I think it's interesting.

My girlfriend has a rug that turned brown. I’ll take photo when I get home .

It’s from the 70’s - it’s from hanging on a wall in direct sunlight

 

[Red Leg]

For those who have not traveled much in France, viande chevalier, like roast or veal, is a quite common basis for wonderful French cuisine. It is available in every grocery or supermarket. In the English speaking world we call it horse meat.

 

[dchum]

For those who have not traveled much in France, viande chevalier, like roast or veal, is a quite common basis for wonderful French cuisine. It is available in every grocery or supermarket. In the English speaking world we call it horse meat.

Joe beef steakhouse,

World famous stake house in Montreal…
Get the horse - as my redneck self would call it