Perhaps one of the more recently extinct equidae, the Quagga was a subspecies of the plains zebras. They were with us until the end of the 19th century.
A Flashy Family Member
The Quagga was set apart from the rest by his flashy markings. They had long, white socks and striping was found only on the head and neck, then faded into dark brown on the back. Their name is the Khoikhoi word for zebra and is said to resemble their vocalizations.
The only Quagga to be photographed alive (pictured here) was in London’s Regent Park Zoo in 1870.
Hunted to Extinction
The Quagga inhabited the arid plains of South Africa and were hunted for both their meat and their unique hide. Like many zebra species of today, limited resources and poachers forced them into a loosing battle with mankind. This species was gone before scientists had a chance to really study its relation to modern zebra species.
Another Revival
Several years ago DNA was successfully extracted from one of the remaining stuffed Quagga models and they were discovered to be a subspecies of the Plains Zebras. This sparked and an attempt by the The Quagga Project to re-animate the species. They are selectively breeding plains zebras in an attempt to re-create their unique striping pattern. Whether or not they will be able to successfully regain the Quagga’s genetic lineage through back breeding remains to be seen.
Not An Exact Science
Sadly we didn’t have scientists millions of years ago, so trying to piece together the history of horses is tricky business. There is a considerable amount of controversy when it comes to the taxonomy & lineage of extinct equidae. Be sure to meet some of the others like Mesohippus, Orohippus, Eohippus and Hipparion.