Why do Zebras have stripes?

Question

camouflage , I just come back from Safari , u can see them miles away with those stripes!!!

Answer 1

So that they can blend in to the shadows of the grass on the African plains. It makes them harder for predators to see.

Answer 2

If you say "zebra," the first thing you think of is stripes. But why DO zebras have stripes? While there are many theories, no one really knows. Some of the ideas which have been suggested by scientists include the following: Some scientists suggest that stripes act as a cooling system creating a mini-air conditioner or fan through a process called convection. As the zebra stands in the sun, the black stripes get very hot -- almost 10 degrees Celsius hotter than the white stripes. The zebra is able to withstand the heat as it has a special layer of fat which occurs ONLY underneath black stripes, insulating the zebra. The heat then causes air to start circulating: sweaty hot air rises off the stripes and is replaced by cooler, dryer air. Like a fan, the evaporation of sweat cools the zebra.

Answer 3

From Ask Azula

Why do zebras have stripes? --Mary

There's no black-and-white answer, Mary. Scientists have several explanations for the distinctive pattern on a zebra's coat. The stripes may help zebras blend into the tall grass of the African savannah, making it hard for predators to find them. When a herd of zebras is together, all the stripes may confuse predators--they can't tell where one zebra begins and the other ends! This may give weak or elderly zebras a chance to escape.

Answer 4

There's no black-and-white answer. Scientists have several explanations for the distinctive pattern on a zebra's coat. The stripes may help zebras blend into the tall grass of the African savannah, making it hard for predators to find them. When a herd of zebras is together, all the stripes may confuse predators--they can't tell where one zebra begins and the other ends! This may give weak or elderly zebras a chance to escape.

Answer 5

Originally, most zoologists assumed that the stripes acted as a camouflage mechanism, while others believed them to play a role in social interactions, with slight variations of the pattern allowing the animals to distinguish between individuals. A more recent theory, supported by experiment, posits that the disruptive coloration is an effective means of confusing the visual system of the blood-sucking tsetse fly.

Answer 6

They serve as a kind of protection from predators! When zebras are grouped together, their stripes make it hard for a lion or leopard to pick out one zebra to chase. Different zebra species have different types of stripes, from narrow to wide. In fact, the further south on the African plains you travel, the farther apart the stripes on the zebras get!

Answer 7

It's to confuse predators. A bunch of zebras standing together all with stripes makes it hard to tell how many there are. Five zebras may look like ten from a distance, a lion for instance wont attack a herd of zebras if there are too many of them. It's the same with flamingos, their pink colour reflects off of the water they stand in so well it makes it hard to tell one from another, or one from it's reflection.

Answer 8

At the beginning of time, God created the zebra. The first zebra was a girl and God asked her would she like to be white or would she like to be black. For days, the zebra pondered this question. She went to God and said that she wanted to be white...five minutes later she returned because she now wanted to be black. God was so frustrated that He covered the zebra in both colors.

Answer 9

Can you imagine if they didnt have the stripe what would they have called the zebra crossings? It would not sound right to have a cows crossing or donkeys crossing? does it?

Answer 10

it is camoflage, but it works because when they all run away from something in a big herd the stripes make it very confusing, its hard to tell where one ends and another begins!!!!