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Zebra Day
"I asked the Zebra, are you black with white stripes?
Or white with black stripes?
And the zebra asked me,
Are you good with bad habits?
Or are you bad with good habits?"
~ Shel Silverstein
Some modern theories about zebra stripes involve not camouflage from predators, but thermodynamics! Because the dark stripes absorb more sunlight energy than the light ones, eddy currents of moving air are created, swirling away heat to cool the zebra as well as confounding and confusing biting flies! Occasionally, a zebra foal is born with a "polka dot" pattern instead of classic stripes! A related species of zebra, the quagga, now extinct, had stripes on the forefront, like the plains zebra, but a brown posterior, more like a horse. The quagga was also the first extinct animal whose DNA was analysed. A Quagga Project is trying to recreate the phenotype of hair coat pattern and related characteristics by selectively breeding the closest subspecies which is Burchell's zebra. Zebras were chosen as a mascot for rare diseases because of the saying "when you hear the sound of hoofbeats, look for horses, not zebras." The zebra print ribbon is the emblem for neuroendocrine tumors including carcinoid cancer, Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, and awareness of other rare diseases. 🦓 🎗️
Zebras are several species of African equids (horse family) united by their distinctive black and white striped coats. Their stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual.
Unlike their closest relatives, horses and donkeys, zebras have never been truly domesticated.
While plains zebras are still plentiful, one subspecies, the quagga, became extinct in the late 19th century. Its name was derived from its call, which sounded like "kwa-ha-ha". The quagga was distinguished from other zebras by its limited pattern of primarily brown and white stripes, mainly on the front part of the body. The rear was brown and without stripes, and therefore more horse-like.
It was originally believed that zebras were white animals with black stripes, since some zebras have white underbellies. Embryological evidence, however, shows that the animal's background color is black and the white stripes and bellies are additions.
The zebra stripes are believed to have several functions: camouflage, visual cues and identification, creation of a light pattern that reduces attractiveness to flies, and even cooling (by creation of air currents generated by the heat differential between the light and dark striped patterns).
By designer Carol A.L. Martin, this tartan design adds a touch of imaginary whimsy to the stark black and white of a zebra pattern.
Occasionally, variants of the stripe pattern occur such as the "polka dot" patterned foal shown above. This may be a result of partial albinism, a condition where reduced melanin causes a zebra's stripes to appear a pale, golden color.
To see Zoe, a "golden" or "white" zebra, a rare colouration that is not a result of albinism, click the zebra mother and her "polka dot" baby.