These legs hold enough power to
kill the king of the jungle
with a single kick.
Except
its focus
is on you.
You should have known better
before you got in its path.
Now, you're on the wrong side
of this stallion
and if its legs don't
take you down,
its teeth might.
These striped creatures are massive.
The largest,
the Grevy's zebra,
can weigh up to 450 kg (990 lb).
They live amongst the most feared
predators on Earth,
such as lions and cheetahs.
To hold their own,
they've evolved to have a rapid
fight-or-flight response.
As soon as they perceive danger,
it's game on.
If they feel threatened,
they’ll bite and kick you
with their hard hooves
at a force of 1,360 kg (3,000 lb).
They might look like horses
in a striped suit,
but zebras are far from
being a friendly pony.
They’re incredibly aggressive
toward humans
and can cause serious damage
if you make them angry.
That includes trying to ride them.
If you come face to face
with a zebra,
the best way to avoid an attack
is always to position
yourself in its sightline.
And stay away from its hind legs.
Don’t give it the chance
to kick you.
In 2019, a private farm
in Seymour, Tennessee,
was the site of a series of attacks
by one zebra involving four people.
One of the victims,
Michaela Napier,
had approached the zebra for a selfie,
as she had seen other visitors do it.
When she turned around
to take the photo,
the zebra bit her,
picked her up
and slammed her down
several times.
She thought that her life
was going to end
until her boyfriend punched
the zebra right in the nose
and Napier was released.
Hitting the zebra’s face with your hand
might stop the attack,
but the safest way to go
might be to not stand too
close to the animal.
Being near the deadliest kick
is hazardous enough.
but if you insist
on admiring a zebra up close
you should at least keep
an eye open for the signs
telling you it's time to go.
And, trust me,
it’ll let you know.
A zebra baring its teeth
or opening its eyes wide
is a sign of it being uncomfortable,
and you should start making
your way out.
When it starts to make noises
like barking,
snorting
or flattening its ears,
you’re entering an extremely
dangerous zone
by staying there.
If you’re dealing with a stallion,
they’ll lower their head,
holding their necks outstretched
while baring their teeth.
This is their ready-to-fight stance
and it already
might be too late for you.
Despite your best efforts,
the zebra bites you
and won’t let go.
Those teeth are designed for fighting.
They’re like a giant
pair of pliers
and you need to get them off
of you as soon as you can.
If anyone is nearby
they can be a potential lifesaver
by chasing off
the animal with a stick.
In 2017,
a zookeeper at Chimelong
Safari Park in China
was viciously attacked by a zebra
that bit his arm and
dragged him into the bushes.
To save the man,
other employees
pursued the zebra with sticks.
It eventually released the zookeeper.
You got the beast
to release you
but during the attack
it managed to leave
its mark and tear your skin.
You need to get
to a hospital immediately.
Before you get there,
wrap the wound in a clean cloth
and apply pressure
to stop the bleeding.
Doctors will prescribe you antibiotics.
You might also need stitches
or skin grafts,
depending on the seriousness
of your injury.
You were lucky enough to survive
this life-threatening encounter.
Maybe you should stick
to petting horses.
Wait,
those can be dangerous too.
About 100,000 horse riding accidents
happen every year in the U.S. alone.
But what can you do
when one turns on you?
Find out here
on How to Survive.