the darker side of the zebra | 台北市立動物園資訊網

2012年11月8日—Ifthefemalewhichisstolenispregnant,thenewmalewillrapeheruntilsuchtimeasshehasabortedthepregnancy.Abortionwouldbedoneby ...

The first theory is that they have the stripes not to hide from sight but to dazzle the predators with many stripes so as to confuse the predator and make it more difficult to pick out an individual. This is further supported by the fact that a baby zebra is born with extra long legs so that its tummy lines up with the adults, again allowing it to disappear into a kaleidoscope of stripes. The second theory is to ward off insects like the tsetse fly, which is confused by the polarising effect of the white. The zebra could not become completely white as it would stand out like a sore thumb but instead used a mixture of black and white. The third theory is not my favourite but here it is for you to make your own mind up. It is thought that the stripes would assist in cooling the zebra as the black stripes would get hot and cause an updraft of air and the cooler white stripe would hav...