Zebra Stripes
Zebras, horse like animals native to the grasslands of Africa, are known for their distinctive black and white stripes. Historically many scientists thought zebras’ stripes served to camouflage (hide) them from predators, such as lions and hyenas. This assumption was based on the observation that other animals, such as tigers, have similar stripes that make them less visible. However, in recent years scientists have noted that zebras’ environment and behavior are not well suited to camouflage by stripes. Tigers often inhabit heavily forested areas in which there, vertical stripes help them blend in with the surrounding trees, but zebras typically inhabit open grasslands. Unlike tigers, who use stealth to stalk their prey, zebras are herbivores that rarely hold still when threatened by predators; instead, they rely on their good eyesight to spot predators at a distance and flee at any signal of danger.
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