Brevard Zoo getting two zebras

Soon after Christmas, two endangered Grévy's zebras will move into Brevard Zoo's Expedition Africa loop as a striped showcase species.

"Zebra are a very popular animal. People really associate zebra with Africa. It brings in for us another highly visible, charismatic animal to add to our collection," described Jon Brangan, deputy zoo director.

"We're getting two females, and we're going to introduce them in with the rhinos. So we're not actually building a new yard. We're modifying our rhino yard to accommodate rhinos and zebras together," Brangan said.

Construction should start in October on $125,000 in Expedition Africa capital improvements, including:

• A zebra barn to shelter the black-and-white beasts at night and during inclement weather

• An additional 125 feet of pedestrian boardwalk

• And a new 20-by-20-foot covered viewing platform, offering enhanced views of Lemur Island and the zoo's giraffes.

"One of the things that guests have pointed out to us over the years is that giraffe kind of get into a routine. When it starts getting a certain time of day, they start heading for their barn. And because their yard is so large, they have areas where they can't be seen," Brangan said.

Crews should wrap up work by Christmas. The zebras will arrive in Viera from White Oak, a wildlife conservation center in Yulee, then meet Brevard Zoo's trio of resident rhinos.

"We'll give the zebra time to go out and explore that yard without the rhinos. And let them learn the environment, learn where the barriers are, kind of explore their new world," Brangan said.

"Then after that, we would start doing introductions where we bring the rhinos out," he said.

Officials are targeting a February zebra grand opening ceremony, Brangan said.

A portion of proceeds from the Nov. 8 Jazzoo musical fundraiser will finance the Expedition Africa upgrades. Jazz recording artist Jackiem Joyner will again headline the annual event.

Contact Neale at 321-242-3638, rneale@floridatoday.com or follow @RickNeale1.

Animal facts

Grévy's zebras are an endangered species that graze across grasslands and savannas of southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. About 2,000 survive in the wild.

Grévy's zebras are the largest species of zebra. Newborns can run 40 minutes after birth, and adults stand up to 5 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh 770 to 990 pounds.

Predatory threats include lions, cheetahs, hyenas, hunting dogs, leopards and humans.

Source: African Wildlife Foundation