Scientists have asked themselves why zebras have stripes; many have speculated that they might be a defense against predators such as lions.
A lion, which is the zebra’s natural predator, is colourblind which means that it would be unable to tell the difference between the grass and the zebra.
However, scientists later discovered that the primary purpose of a zebra’s stripes is actually to repel horseflies.
“We conclude that zebras have evolved a coat pattern in which the stripes are narrow enough to ensure minimum attractiveness to flies,”
This discovery was published in the “Journal of experimental biology” which demonstrates how a zebra striped horse model attracts far fewer horseflies than non stripped horses because Insects prefer animals with dark skin to animals with white skin.
Although scientists have come to a fascinating conclusion about the mystery of zebra stripes and horseflies, the study is likely to have a long term impact on both professional scientists and future scientists.
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