Zebra 1 Pula Botswana Authentic Coin Money for Jewelry and Craft Making (Rain) (Racial Harmony) (Zebra Stripes)

Zebra 1 Pula Botswana Authentic Coin Money for Jewelry and Craft Making (Rain) (Racial Harmony) (Zebra Stripes) (Luck) (Self Sufficiency) (Heptagonal Coin)

Reverse: Plains Zebra
The Zebra is Botswana's national animal. Its stripes inspired the national flag, where the stripes represent the racial harmony of the people. There are three species of zebra, and several sub-species, all of which are members of the horse family.
Lettering: 1 PULA
'Pula' is the denomination, and it also appears on the coat of arms. It means "Rain" and "Let there be rain" and "Good Luck".

Obverse: National coat of arms.
Lettering: BOTSWANA
PULA
IPELEGENG
(The word "Ipelegeng" literally means "to carry your own weight" or "to be self sufficient or independent". Ipelegeng is also a Botswana program created for reducing the poverty.)

Features
Issuer Botswana
Period Republic (1966-date)
Type Standard circulation coin
Years 1991-2007
Value 1 Pula (1.00 BWP)
Currency Pula (1976-date)
Composition Nickel brass
Weight 8.8 g
Diameter 24 mm
Thickness 2.7 mm
Shape Heptagonal (7-sided)
Technique Milled
Orientation Medal alignment ↑↑
Demonetized 1 July 2014
Number N# 3232
References KM# 24, Schön# 28

Wikipedia:
The plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchellii), also known as the common zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. Its range is fragmented, but spans much of southern and eastern Africa south of the Sahara. Six or seven subspecies have been recognised, including the extinct quagga which was thought to be a separate species. More recent research supports variations in zebra populations being clines rather than subspecies.

The plains zebra is intermediate in size between the larger Grévy's zebra and the smaller mountain zebra and tends to have broader stripes than both. Great variation in coat patterns exists between clines and individuals. The plain zebra's habitat is generally, but not exclusively, treeless grasslands and savanna woodlands, both tropical and temperate. They generally avoid desert, dense rainforest and permanent wetlands. Zebras are preyed upon by lions and spotted hyenas, Nile crocodiles and, to a lesser extent, cheetahs and African wild dogs.

The plains zebra is a highly social species, forming harems with a single stallion, several mares and their recent offspring; bachelor groups also form. Groups may come together to form herds. The animals keep watch for predators; they bark or snort when they see a predator and the harem stallion attacks predators to defend his harem.

The plains zebra remains common in game reserves, but is threatened by human activities such as hunting for its meat and hide, as well as competition with livestock and encroachment by farming on much of its habitat. The species population is stable and not endangered, though populations in most countries have declined sharply. As of 2016, the plains zebra is classified as near threatened by IUCN.

Zebras have been featured in African art and culture for millennia. They have been depicted in rock art in Southern Africa (modern Botswana, Namibia and South Africa) dating from 20,000–28,000 years ago, though not as commonly as antelope species like eland. How the zebra got its stripes has been the subject of folk tales, some of which involve it being scorched by fire. The San people associated zebra stripes with water, rain and lighting due to its dazzling pattern.

The plains zebra is the national animal of the Republic of Botswana and the its stripes are depicted on the country's flag. The flag stripes also represent racial harmony in the country. Botswana's national football team is nicknamed 'The Zebras' and commonly dons striped jerseys resembling the stripes of a zebra.

The zebra has also been associated with beauty and the women of various societies would paint much of their bodies in stripes. For the Shona people of Zimbabwe, the zebra is a totem animal, along with the eland, buffalo, lion and monkey. The zebra is praised in a poem as an "iridescent and glittering creature". Its stripes have symbolised the joining of male and female and at Great Zimbabwe, zebra stripes decorate what is believed to be a domba, a premarital school meant to initiate woman into adulthood. In the Shona language, the name "madhuve" means "woman/women of the zebra totem" and is a given name for girls in Zimbabwe.

Zebras have also been represented in Western culture. They have been thought of as a more exotic alternative to horse; the comic book character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle is depicted riding a zebra. The film Racing Stripes features a captive zebra ostracised from the horses and end up being ridden by a rebellious girl. In the film Fantasia, two centaurs are depicted being half human and half zebra, instead of the typical half human and half horse. Zebras have been featured as characters in other animated films like Khumba, The Lion King and the Madagascar films.

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Wikipedia:
The coat of arms of Botswana was adopted on 25 January 1966. The centre shield is supported by two zebras. The shape of the shield is that of traditional shields found in Southern Africa. On the top portion of the shield are three cogwheels that represent industry.

The three waves symbolize water, and reminds the viewer of the motto of the nation: pula, which means simply "rain", but also good luck, and is also the name of the nation's currency. This motto also highlights the importance of water to Botswana. The motto is inscripted on a blue ribbon placed at the bottom of the coat of arms.

At the bottom of the shield is the head of a bull, which symbolises the importance of cattle herding in Botswana. The two zebras also symbolise the importance of wildlife, through tourism, in the national economy. Also, zebra have black and white stripes which represent equality of people of all colours in Botswana. The zebra on the right holds an ear of sorghum, an important crop in the nation. The zebra on the left holds a tusk of ivory, symbolic of the former ivory trade in Botswana. There is also view that ivory tusk represents wild life preservation. Botswana has one of the highest elephant populations in Africa.