The quagga was a zebra that lost its stripes, then vanished from the earth.

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Once roaming the vast South African plains in massive herds, the quagga was a unique subspecies of the plains zebra. Distinguished by a reddish-brown coat and stripes that faded behind the shoulder, this animal was hunted to extinction by the late 19th century, leaving behind only a few preserved skins.

The quagga, scientifically classified as Equus quagga quagga, was a distinct subspecies of the plains zebra. Unlike its fully striped relatives, the quagga exhibited a striking gradient: it possessed dark brown stripes on its head and neck, which gradually faded into a solid, reddish-brown color across its hindquarters. This unique appearance often led early naturalists to debate its classification, with some initially mistaking it for a separate species entirely before genetic analysis confirmed its status as a subspecies of the plains zebra.

These animals were once abundant across the great plains of South Africa, where they lived in large herds. Like other zebras, they were large, single-hoofed ungulates adapted for grazing on silicate-rich grasses. Their teeth were specialized for this diet, featuring high-crowned molars capable of processing tough vegetation. Despite their once-thriving populations, the quagga faced immense pressure following European settlement in South Africa. They were extensively hunted, largely because they competed with domesticated livestock for limited forage, a conflict that accelerated their decline.

The extinction of the quagga was rapid and absolute. The last known wild population disappeared from the Orange Free State by 1878, and the final captive specimen died at the London Zoo in 1872. Today, the quagga holds a unique place in scientific history; in 1984, it became the first extinct animal to have its DNA analyzed. This pioneering study helped launch the field of ancient DNA research, confirming that the quagga was indeed a close relative of the plains zebra rather than a distinct species or a type of horse, closing a long-standing chapter of biological uncertainty.

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