Zebra on a waterhole

Why Does the Zebra Have the Stripes?

The skin of the zebra is one of the most popular trophies that hunters bring home from African safaris. Whether you use it as a carpet on the wall or a rug on the floor, or make a more original taxidermy out of it, the striking black-and-white skin can’t help but stir your curiosity. The old question “Is zebra white with black stripes or black with white stripes?” has been positively answered. Zebra embryos start out black (or brown), and the white color appears later, so zebra is black with white stripes. But why do they need the stripes in the first place?

Continue reading