Zebras are one of the most iconic animals found in Africa. With their distinctive black and white striped coats, they captivate people of all ages. Their stripes make them a perfect subject for riddles and brainteasers. Read on for 91 riddles about zebras that will engage both kids and adults.
Zebra Riddles for Kids
These riddles about zebras are perfect for kids. They focus on basic concepts like colors, patterns, and simple vocabulary.
Riddles about zebra colors and patterns
1. What has black and white stripes and says “moo”? A zebra with a sore throat!
2. What kind of stripes can you find on a zebra? Zig zag stripes.
3. Why did the zebra paint himself different colors? He wanted to hide in the rainbow.
4. Which part of the zebra has the most stripes? The outside!
5. What do you call a stripeless zebra? A zebra in pajamas.
6. Why do zebras have stripes instead of spots? Because they don’t want to be spotty!
7. Why is a zebra stripey? Because it doesn’t want to be spotty!
8. What do you get if you cross a zebra with a tiger? Stripey tiger, or a tigbra!
9. What do you get if you cross a zebra with a dinosaur? A dino-stripe!
10. What do you get if you cross a zebra with a chicken? A zebra that lays eggs with stripes!
Riddles about zebra sounds
11. Why don’t zebras make good singers? They are always a little horse!
12. What does a zebra say when it is happy? “Yay!” or “Hee-haw!”
13. What noise does a zebra make? Hee-haw!
14. Why don’t zebras get sore throats? Because they only horse around!
15. Why was the zebra laughing? His friend told him a funny “zzz-joke!”
Riddles about zebra habitats and diets
16. Where do zebras sleep? On the zzz-bras!
17. Where do zebras go on vacation? The zebra-ch!
18. Why did the zebra cross the road? To get to the zebra crossing!
19. What does a zebra eat for breakfast? Stripey cereal!
20. What is a zebra’s favorite snack? Stripey hay!
21. Why shouldn’t you try to ride a zebra? They are not for horse-play!
22. Why did the zebra go to the watering hole? To get a drink!
23. Where do zebras buy their groceries? At the zebra mart!
24. Why can’t zebras travel through outer space? They can only breathe air!
25. Where do most zebras sleep at night? On the zzz-savanna!
Riddles about zebra families
26. What do you call a baby zebra? A foal.
27. What do you call a zebra mom or dad? A mare or a stallion.
28. What do you call a group of zebras together? A herd or a dazzle.
29. Why did the zebra foal make stripes on his wall? He wanted to zebra-ate his room!
30. How does a zebra mom find her child in the zebra herd? She looks for the stripe pattern on its back.
Zebra Riddles for Adults
These zebra riddles require more complex vocabulary and logic. They are perfect for adults who want to give their brain a workout.
Riddles about zebra biology
31. Why do zebras have striped fur? The stripes likely evolved as camouflage to avoid predators.
32. How fast can a zebra run? Zebras can run at speeds up to 40 miles per hour when migrating or being chased.
33. How long is a zebra’s pregnancy? Zebras are pregnant for 12-14 months before giving birth.
34. Why do zebras stand together in herds? Being in a herd offers protection from predators.
35. Why do zebras roll in the mud? To keep cool and avoid biting insects.
36. How do zebras communicate? Through unique facial expressions, sounds, and posture.
37. How many species of zebra are there? There are three species of zebra: plains, mountain, and Grevy’s zebras.
38. Why do zebras have hair instead of fur? Their hair is more resistant to rubbing caused by their stripes.
39. Why are zebras not domesticated like horses? Zebras are more unpredictable and aggressive than horses.
40. How do zebras protect themselves from predators? By kicking, biting, and running away.
Riddles about zebra habitats
41. Where do most zebras live? Zebras live in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa.
42. Why don’t zebras live in colder climates? They are not adapted to cold weather and snow.
43. What plant makes up most of the zebra’s diet? Grass.
44. How far will zebras migrate for food and water? Over 500 miles.
45. Why do zebras need to be near a water source? Zebras must drink water every day to survive.
46. Why do zebras rub against trees? To remove dead hair and skin parasites.
47. What behavior helps zebras reach plant food? Standing on their hind legs to reach leaves higher up.
48. Why do zebras roll in dust? To keep cool and avoid biting insects.
Riddles about zebra families and herds
49. How do zebras identify each other? By their unique stripe patterns.
50. How long do zebras live? Around 25 years in the wild.
51. What is a zebra family group called? A harem, with one stallion and several mares and foals.
52. How long do zebra foals stay with their mothers? For up to two years before leaving the family group.
53. Why do zebras form herds? For safety from predators and collective migration.
54. How do zebras arrange themselves in a herd? With the stallion in front, mares behind, and foals in the middle.
55. How do zebras signal danger to the herd? By stamping their hooves and snorting.
Riddles about zebras and humans
56. Why were zebras never domesticated? Zebras are more aggressive and less easily tamed than horses.
57. Why do some cultures associate zebras with bad luck? Their unpredictable nature was seen as ill-omened.
58. How have human activities impacted zebra populations? Hunting, habitat loss, and competition with livestock have reduced numbers.
59. How do conservationists track zebra populations? By aerial surveys that count individuals and map habitat ranges.
60. Why are zebras a popular zoo exhibit? Their iconic stripes and active nature draw crowds.
61. How do zoos care for captive zebras? With space to run, a herd to socialize with, and a diet of hay and grains.
62. Why do zebras appear in so many stories and cartoons? Their distinct look makes them easily recognizable.
63. Why use zebra print in fashion and design? The bold stripes provide a graphic, eye-catching pattern.
64. Why are zebras featured on some African currency? To highlight native wildlife and national pride.
Funny zebra riddles
65. What do you call a sleepy zebra? A zzz-bra!
66. How do zebras cross the ocean? They take a zebraplane!
67. What do you get when you cross a zebra and a cactus? Stripes and prickles!
68. What did the little zebra say when he bumped his head? “Owwww-ch!”
69. Why don’t zebras ever get lost? They can read the zee-bras!
70. What do you say when a zebra tells a funny joke? “Good one, that zebra-cracked me up!”
71. Why don’t zebras play games? They prefer zebra-cades!
72. How do zebras keep their breath fresh? With zebra-strips!
73. Why do zebras make bad criminals? Because they’re always spotted!
74. What’s black and white and red all over? An embarrassed zebra!
Tricky zebra riddles
75. The more this grows, the less you see. What is it? A zebra in a snowstorm.
76. What belongs to you but is used by others? Your name or identity.
77. I have heads and tails but no legs. What am I? A zebra-crossing sign.
78. Feed me and I live, give me a drink and I die. What am I? Fire.
79. What gets broken without being held? A promise.
80. What has hands but can’t clap? A clock.
81. What is full of holes but can still hold water? A sponge.
82. What is always behind you but never catches up? Your shadow.
83. The more you take away, the bigger I become. What am I? A hole.
“Think outside the box” zebra riddles
84. If a blue house is made of blue bricks and a yellow house is made of yellow bricks, what is a greenhouse made of? Glass.
85. A man pushes his car into his hotel garage and goes to the front desk to claim his room key. What’s wrong here? You don’t push cars, you drive them.
86. A girl has as many brothers as sisters but each brother has only half as many brothers as sisters. How many brothers and sisters are there? Four sisters and three brothers.
87. You walk across a bridge and see a boat full of people but there isn’t a single person on board. How is this possible? All the people on the boat are married or partnered.
88. A doctor gives you three pills telling you to take one every half hour. How long will the pills last? One hour – after half an hour you will have taken one pill, leaving two. After a further half hour you’ll have taken another, leaving one for the final half hour.
89. The more there is, the less you see. What is it? Darkness.
90. I have keys but no locks, space but no rooms, you can enter but can’t go outside. What am I? A computer keyboard.
91. What gets whiter the dirtier it gets? A chalkboard.
Conclusion
Did you enjoy tackling this big batch of brain-busting zebra riddles? From funny kid jokes to tricky logic puzzles, these animal riddles let everyone exercise their minds and zebra knowledge. Learning more about zebras and their African homeland can be lots of fun with the right riddles. Next time you see a zebra stripe pattern, remember just some of the amazing facts behind this iconic wildlife species. Zebras certainly deserve their fame and recognition through stories, media, and of course riddles!
