Zebra is black with white stripes or white with black. Is a zebra white with black stripes or vice versa? What does a zebra eat?
The zebra cannot be confused with any other animal. People, and scientists too, still haven’t decided: what kind of stripes does a zebra have – white or black?
A characteristic feature of a zebra is its dark stripes, combined with white or slightly yellowish ones.
Zebra is a mammal belonging to the equine species. Zebras live in the semi-arid regions of Africa, in the savannah, south of the Sahara.
In appearance they are very reminiscent of donkeys or medium-sized horses. They feed on grass and small shrubs. They are very dependent on water. Without it, zebras will not live even three days. That’s why they always stay near a watering hole.
Zebras go out to graze early in the morning and in the evening, when it is not so hot. In the sun, they hide in the shadows, ensuring their safety. Zebras live in herds, where they have their own clear hierarchy.
![](https://i0.wp.com/animalreader.ru/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/zebra-polosataja-loshad_1_1.jpg)
The main enemy of zebras in nature is lions. But these striped horses dashingly run away from mortal danger. That is why only 1 out of 20 attempts to catch a zebra by a lion ends in victory. And, as a rule, he gets especially weak and sick individuals for dinner. Zebra cubs are fiercely protected, and not every lion decides to fight a herd of angry zebras.
There are three types of zebras:
Mountain zebras (Equus zebra)
Steppe zebras (Equus quagga)
Plains zebras (Equus grevyi) – considered extinct
Each of these species has its own coloring style. Yes, we will open a big secret: zebra, still black, in white stripe, so they began to count after genetic research. Zebra skin is deep black.
Why these animals have such stripes, he also doesn’t know yet. scientific world. This coloring is not very suitable for “camouflage” in the savannah, but, nevertheless, zebras are striped. Maybe it’s easier for them to distinguish each other? Some scientists even believe that these stripes are a way of hypnotizing a predator. When a zebra runs, the stripes move and confuse the hunter, preventing him from concentrating.
![](https://i2.wp.com/animalreader.ru/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/zebra-polosataja-loshad_3_1.jpg)
Male zebras are constantly at war with each other. So they fight for the right to dominate the herd.
Do you know that…
“Each zebra has a pattern about as unique as a person’s fingerprints.
— A zebra can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h.
— Zebras have poor eyesight, so they form mixed flocks with giraffes, ostriches or antelopes.
— A zebra has no stripes on its belly
— Zebras prefer to live near water.
— Adult zebras sleep standing up to ensure the safety of their foals
Listen to the zebra's voice
Steppe zebra
Height at withers: up to 1.6 m
Body length 2.5-3m
Tail up to 75 cm long
Body weighing up to 450 kg
Lifespan: 20-25 years
So what color is a zebra?
In fact, a zebra is black with white stripes, and not vice versa. Since black stripes are caused by the genetic process of selective pigmentation (the presence of pigment), therefore black color is the main pigment, and white stripes are the absence of it.
There are three types of zebras: desert, savannah, and mountain. We dealt with savannah zebras all the time. It can be distinguished by its wide stripes and the presence of shadow stripes. However, once we managed to meet a mountain zebra.
Mountain zebra. It has wider black stripes and thinner white spaces. And, as you can see, there are no shadow stripes.
For full picture I’ll tell you briefly about other types of zebras that we have not met.
Desert zebra. Thin stripes located close to each other. And she also has a wide dark stripe that runs along her spine.
It is also worth mentioning the Quagga Zebra, which, unfortunately, was completely exterminated in 1878. She looked like this:
But let's not talk about sad things and return to our savannah zebras. We met them not only in national parks, but sometimes just along the road in the savannah. Zebras have always been around in large groups. And often in pairs. Find the boy))
Once upon a time in national park Etosha (Namibia) we met a melanistic zebra:
And this guy walked and listened to music on headphones:
Little baby zebra drinks mother's milk:
And this is us fording the stream. The zebras, initially unnoticed by us, rush in all directions:
Laughs (apparently at us):
Well, and more zebras-zebras-zebras:
In fact, a zebra is black with white stripes and not vice versa. The black color is due to pigmentation, and the white color is due to the absence of it. The pattern of the stripes, like fingerprints, is individual. The cubs are recognized by their mother by the stripes.
If you are an optimist, then the zebra has black stripes, because everything else seems white; if you are a pessimist, then the zebra has white stripes, since everything else seems black.
There may be two approaches to the answer. First of all, you can look at what color the zebra has more and then, based on this predominant color, call it white with black stripes or black with white. So to speak, by coat color. However, as others have already noticed before me, there are zebras that have more black stripes, and there are zebras that have more white stripes. Therefore, it is impossible to unambiguously determine the color of a zebra using this method. This is where the second method comes to the rescue, which takes into account the color of the skin under the fur. It turns out that zebras have black skin under their elegant skin, and therefore I am inclined to believe that a zebra is still black with white stripes.
Zebra white with black stripes? Or a black zebra with white stripes?
1) This is what he says about coloring animals from the equine family, zebra, Wikipedia:
2) Crosswalk named for black and white and stripes zebra. No one doubts that the pedestrian crossing is black with white stripes, since white markings are applied to the asphalt.
I read somewhere that a zebra fetus is completely white, and black stripes appear in the last stages of pregnancy, which means the zebra is still white with black stripes. Black stripes appeared to blend into the savannah.
I would say that this is a philosophical question and is very reminiscent of the question of where the stick begins and where the end is. And here, as in a cartoon and a children's movie, you need to see how this stick grew and where its growth point is, there is an end, and where closer to the roots there is a beginning. So if we took into account that the fetus is born mostly white, and stripes appear later, then naturally the zebra’s color is white and black stripes appear there. But for the zebra painted on the asphalt. everything is the other way around. since black or gray asphalt is first laid, and then white stripes are applied to it. But it should also be noted that there is such a thing as an albino. This is when the whole baby is born white.
But I just haven’t heard of black zebras.
The first thing that came to mind: white with black stripes.
I think that the predominant color is white, that is, there is objectively more of it, for example, a zebra has almost no stripes on its belly, if my attention did not deceive me, and besides, zebras are born white or with a minimum of stripes. This means they are still white with black stripes.
Looking through many photographs of different zebras on the Internet, I noticed one feature - a zebra’s legs are either striped, like all of them, or white (as, for example, in Metamorph’s answer). Hence the conclusion that the predominant color of the zebra is white with black stripes.
Philosophical question!) As for me, I would call it black and white. But in general, the zebra is just striped!)
In general, there are two opinions on this matter.
1) Zebra is white. And what we take for stripes is a barcode applied.
But seriously, scientists are inclined to think that the zebra is still white. With black stripes.
On the screen in front of you.
Zebra is a daughter and zebra is a mother.
Zebra white color with black stripes. I once read about this in children's magazine(something like I want to know everything).
It seems to me that this is without scientific evidence Apparently, if you look closely at a zebra - it is predominantly white, there is more white in it than black, its legs are practically white, without stripes.