I had always understood as a kid that a zebra's stripes helped them 'blend in' to the background yet here it makes them one of the easier animals to spot so I have been a little confused. It seems that the reality of how they work is slightly different. When a herd of zebra is threatened by a predator the animals come together as a group before running off as one. Their stripes make it difficult for the predator to distinguish any particular animal from the group as a whole - made even more difficult as the big cats do not distinguish colour well and see the world in shades of grey - and in doing so increases the chances of escape. Another thing, if you ever see a group of zebras early in the morning the chances are they will all be facing the same direction; they place their sides to the rising sun and the black strips absorb heat to help warm the animals' bodies.
No comments:
Post a Comment