Why do zebras have stripes?

Answer 1

the same reason Dalmatians have spots!!!

Answer 2

Conceivably the stripes could act as camouflage by breaking up the zebra's outlines but their behaviour does not fit what would be expected from a camouflaged animal. Zebra are noisy and active. They live out in the open and they do not freeze in response to danger. Another suggestion was that the conglomeration of dazzling stripes in a zebra herd would make it difficult for a predator to concentrate on a particular target. Nevertheless lions, spotted hyenas, wild dogs, cheetah and leopard, which have radically different hunting styles, all succesfully capture zebra. So, if there is a dazzle effect, it cannot be very effective. An important pointer to the function of the zebra's stripes is their effect not on predators but on other zebras. Crisp, contrasting stripes are highly visually stimulating and zebras seem to seek out this visual input by approaching each other. Predators make most of their attacks at night and the zebra's manoeuvres have to be carried out in the dark amidst clouds of dust thrown up by their hooves. Under these conditions a pattern of sharp black and white stripes provides the best visibility.

-Peter Apps, "Wild Ways"

Answer 3

All members of the family Equidae (horses, asses and zebras) have some striping which suggests that it is in the basic pattern of equid development and predates the evolution of zebras.

One reason for the existence of stripes could be in individual recognition - you can recognise members of your own species or even herd by their striping pattern.

Another could be an antipredator defence. Predators on zebras don't have as well developed colour vision as primates such as humans (and neither do the zebas themselves), so the striped body may blend in better with the natural environment better than we realise.

Finally perhaps the white stripes (zebras have black skins) help to reflect some of the sunlight in their tropical and subtropical environments and help with maintenance of the correct body temperature.

Answer 4

Camouflage! many of the predators of the zebra do not have good colour eyesight.

The black and white stripes will hide the zebra in a background of long grasses and shadows - it is very effective

Answer 5

Zebras have stripes to confuse predators. Stripes help to break up their outlines both in the strong light of the open plain where the pattern may also "dazzle" predators, and in the poorer light at dawn and dusk - if you think about it, animals trying to disguise themselves on grassland temd to have stripes: animals using camouflage in wooded areas use spots, because the light there tends to be dappled

Answer 6

To blend in with other zebras. Zebras live in herds and the striping pattern helps them hide from predators because it's hard to distinguish where one zebra ends and the other begins.

Answer 7

To clarify: the hypothesis that stripes on zebras are to confuse predator on which zebra to focus on is statistical in nature; that is it randomizes the capture rate, IE. " luck of the draw ".

Answer 8

The original circular pattern was too good a target for tribesmen so the process of evolution led to only the straighter patterned animals survival hence the only surviving Zebras have straight stripes.
Reactionary American Quasi Christians may disagree with this theory but it is of course complete B******s

Answer 9

Cause lions hunt at night and they do not have very good colour vision. For those lions watching in black and white, these zebras are difficult to see in the long grass.

Answer 10

So they can run faster?

No seriously, it's to confuse predators when they are in a large group - the predators then find it difficult to seperate one zebra from the herd.

Answer 11

Shaun and John d. are right on. National geographic special says it is to confuse predators. In a herd they start milling about and blend all together so the animal trying to attack can't figure out where to start.