How the Zebra Got His Stripes

Giddyup!   (Photo by Muhammad Mahdi Karim)

Before getting down to some popular theories, we might as well admit that we really don’t know.

That being said, here are the theories:  The zebra’s stripes help to regulate body temperature, and they help to

discourage harmful parasites.

Thanks to Rudyard Kipling, we know much more about “How the Leopard Got His Spots.”  According to this

famous story, the leopard wanted spots so he would not be spotted.  Sometimes fiction seems stranger than truth. 

Resources

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2019/06/14/why-do-zebras-have-stripes-a-hair-raising-new-theory-is-clever-complex-and-beautiful/#2c7ed97c18a1

Copyright June 14, 2019 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved