Zebras are highly social, alert prey animals whose welfare in zoos requires appropriate herd sizes, space for flight responses, and management of their powerful defensive behaviour.
Zebra welfare in captivity centres on accommodating their prey-animal psychology and complex social needs. Plains zebras in particular form strong family social bonds and benefit from stable herd management rather than frequent regrouping. Their powerful alarm responses and flight instincts are deeply ingrained - restricted spaces that prevent flight expression cause chronic anxiety. Handling requires chute systems designed for equid behaviour as zebras kick powerfully and can cause serious injury. Grevy's zebras have different social organisation with less stable associations, requiring different management approaches. Mixed species exhibits with compatible grazers can enrich the social and environmental complexity of zebra exhibits.