2007-05-25 16:52:29 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Actually zebras start out brown with white stripes (or white with brown stripes). The brown darkens to black as they age.
2007-05-25 17:27:26 · answer #1 · answered by Kevin M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try looking at it this way - if you paint a red brick wall with black and white stripes, is it white with black stripes? black with white stripes?
The Zebras skin is like a dogs. It has fur of two different colours.
2007-05-26 01:00:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just took my class to the zoo and one of my kids asked the same question. Here is what he zoo keeper told us:
"Look at the animal's hooves. If they are black or brown, that is the underlying color. That means that the stripes are white."
All of the zebra's we saw (Grevy's zebras) had dark brown hooves. So, all of the zebras we saw were brown or black with white stripes.
2007-05-26 11:31:10 · answer #3 · answered by Jen B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I'd calculate the area of black and the area of white available on any one particular zebra. Whichever has the most area is the base colour. Whichever is less is the stripe colour.
2007-05-25 23:57:50 · answer #4 · answered by BotanyDave 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Zambian zebra is black with white stripes, Nigerian zebra is white with black stripes -- or maybe it's the other way around.
2007-05-26 00:03:38 · answer #5 · answered by Madmunk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
does it really matter?
2007-05-26 00:11:17 · answer #6 · answered by bountyhunter2472005 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋