Product Details

• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Nat'l Geographic Vid
• VHS Release Date: July 9, 1997
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304476078
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,920 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

These wild horses of Africa make a 300-mile migration every year, braving a host of predators from lions to hyenas to gun-toting humans. It's no wonder narrator Brian Dennehy describes this journey as a "gauntlet of death" in this 50-minute installment of the famed National Geographic series. Beautifully shot in Botswana by husband and wife team Dereck and Beverly Joubert, the documentary focuses on zebra family life--which centers around strictly organized kinship groups--and some of the unique ways this animal copes with the constant threat to life. For example, given a warning call from Dad, Mom can delay giving birth for hours. From floodplain to forest, the cameras follow these striped creatures during day and night, birth and death, wrapping up with a chilling statistic that reminds us how humans can be the most lethal predators of all. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Product Description

Come to the windswept plains of Africa for one of the Earth's most ancient and beautiful spectacles, the great zebra migration to Botswana. You'll travel ancient trails with thousands of these wild striped horses who share vast grasslands with wildebeests, elephants, and their deadly enemy - the lion. On this three-hundred mile journey you'll see the tender first moments of a young foal's life as she instinctively studies and memorizes her mother's stripe pattern so she'll never get lost in the herd. You'll witness how zebra family groups are rigidly organized for protection and the consequence of not following the rules - strict punishment from dominant zebras or worse, death from predators. Join National Geographic and learn the secrets behind Africa's graceful ZEBRA: PATTERNS IN THE GRASS.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An explanation of some of the questions about zebras that have puzzled me for a long time, March 1, 2008

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: National Geographic Video: Zebra: Patterns in the Grass [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I was a biology major in college and of course did an in-depth study of the principles of evolution by natural selection. In general, the rule is that major traits evolve due to it providing a survival advantage. I completely understood that, but was puzzled by the zebra having black and white stripes. To me, it appeared that the characteristic would be a disadvantage; such a pattern would be obvious when compared to the green and brown background of foliage. This sharp contrast would make the zebra clearly visible from some distance away.
After viewing this tape, the survival advantage was clear. Each zebra has a unique pattern and the zebra foal imprints on it immediately after birth. This allows the foal to immediately identify its' mother, a definite survival advantage in a society where orphans are never cared for. The stripes also make it difficult for the predators to discern the foals from the adults in a herd of zebras. One of the main predators is the pack of hunting dogs, and the adults are almost immune to their attacks. The convoluted mass of stripes created by a moving herd makes it impossible to identify the foals. Even major predators such as the lion find it much easier to take down the foals rather than the adults, as the alerted adult zebra finds it relatively easy to outrun the lion over any distance. This demonstrated how the characteristics of some creatures can seem to contradict the principle of natural selection, but in fact reinforce it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and educating - a classic!, February 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: National Geographic Video: Zebra: Patterns in the Grass [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is one of the best African Wildlife National Geographic Videos. The video is well made, as most Natl Geographic Videos are, and is organized by following the great zebra migrations. Interesting facts about social strucure, group dynamics, role of bachelor males, etc make this an instant classis. Highly recommended!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Another masterpiece from Jouberts!, December 19, 2000

By 

Yan Gluzberg (East Brunswick, New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: National Geographic Video: Zebra: Patterns in the Grass [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I would like to give praise to "Zebra: Patterns in the Grass" nature documentary. The footage shot in Northern Botswana by husband and wife, Derek and Beverly Joubert, is an example of a mature work. It describes the 300-mile zebra migration from Lynianti region to Savuti and back. The documentary focuses on all expects of zebra's life, the birth, herd structure and individual zebra status within a family group, migration difficulties, stallion responsibilities and interactions with others, relationship of a mother and a foul and death. The amazing footage combined with excellent narration really creates an interesting drama of zebra's life set in and around the ancient migration routes in this beautiful but unforgiving region. We experience the crucial first hours of a newly born zebra foul during which the mother tries to hide from her new baby any other zebra's form but her own in order to imprint her unique stripe pattern, which will play the most important part in identifying the mother. This behavior cannot guarantee the survival of the foul since there are many other dangers in the young foul's life, such as high mortality rate from such predators as hyenas and lions, which abound in Savuti march. We are present on numerous hunts of these striped horses by the lions, the pressure of which finally push the zebra herds to move on from Savuti. On route to Lynianti there are nomadic lions following the herds in hope of a meal, as well as men who are in pursuit of the zebra's skin leaving the rest to the scavengers. In the midst of this we experience the drama of everyday life in the zebra society including the great footage of the stallions fight for a mare. The Jouberts manage to bring a viewer a world hidden from the eyes of humans. The story almost makes a viewer to experience the sights and smells of wild Africa while conveying a powerful message about our impact on the natural world in that wild place. It is one of the best nature documentaries to date and I recommend this video to anyone interested in wildlife. It has great footage as well as great story. Great job Derek and Beverly! Definitely worth five stars!