{{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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