Zebra stripes, neither camouflage nor cooling? Uncovering the true purpose of black and white stripes

Did you know that the black and white stripes on zebras have puzzled scientists for nearly 150 years? Why do zebras have such unique patterns? What is their purpose? This article will reveal the mystery of zebra stripes and give you a deeper understanding of this amazing animal.

1. Common explanations for the role of zebra stripes

There are many speculations about the function of zebra stripes, the most common of which are as follows:

Camouflage: Some people believe that when a herd of zebras gallops, the stripes on their bodies can dazzle predators and distract them, thus allowing them to escape being eaten.

Heat dissipation: Others believe that the black stripes heat up faster than the white stripes, creating circulating air currents that keep the zebra cooler, which is important for zebras living on the hot African savannah.

Attracting the opposite sex: Some people also believe that stripes are a mark for zebras to recognize and mate with each other. Different species and individuals of zebras have different stripe patterns, which can enhance their attractiveness to the opposite sex.

2. Scientific verification of zebra stripes

However, none of these hypotheses have been scientifically proven. In fact, scientists have found through experiments and observations that:

Camouflage: Computer tests show that lions and hyenas cannot distinguish the stripes unless they are very close. In addition, zebras usually protect themselves by living in groups and running, rather than by stealth.

Heat dissipation: A recent study also disproved this assumption: Buckets covered with zebra hides heated up just as quickly as buckets covered with ordinary horse hides. Moreover, zebras are no more resistant to heat than other animals without stripes.

Attracting the opposite sex: This hypothesis has no ecological relevance. Moreover, the zebra's stripes are fixed in the embryo and do not change with the environment or the individual.

3. The real purpose of zebra stripes

So, what is the purpose of the stripes on zebras? After years of research, scientists have finally found the most reasonable answer: to prevent flies from biting.

Flies are the zebra's mortal enemy. Zebras are highly susceptible to deadly diseases including trypanosomiasis, African horse sickness and equine sickness, all of which are spread by horse and tsetse flies. They are also highly vulnerable to insect attacks: the hairs on their coats are unusually short compared to other herbivores such as antelope, making it easier for flies to find blood vessels with their piercing mouthparts.

The zebra's stripes are a protective color against flies. Scientists have found that in areas with more horse flies, three zebra species and African wild donkeys have thin stripes on their legs. After research, it was found that horse flies cannot recognize targets with black and white stripes. They painted black and white stripes on the left side of a horse and left the right side with normal skin. The side with the stripes had almost no bites, while the other side was bitten several times.

Scientists speculate that the black and white stripes may disrupt the horsefly's optic flow (which senses the dynamic movement of a target). Insects use optic flow to measure the distance between them and objects to correct their speed. Cuttlefish spit ink to escape enemies using a similar principle.