WHO KNEW?

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Kathleen Solose

Q: I'm wondering why zebras have those black and white stripes?
                                         - Zany about Zebras

Dear Zany:

It seems that there are a couple of theories as to why zebras sport stripes, but neither has been clearly established. Dr. Jerry Haigh from Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine said the most common is that the stripes work to camouflage the animal, particularly in low light such as at dusk or dawn, something Haigh observed himself many times during the 10 years he lived in Kenya. Although it's counter-intuitive, it's amazing how readily black and white stripes disappear at certain times of day, he said. And every little bit helps as zebras are heavily preyed upon by large cats and wild dogs.

The second theory is highly speculative and unpublished, he warned. It suggests that because the heat absorption characteristics of black and white skin vary dramatically, zebras can shut off blood flow to one of the two coloured portions of their bodies as a way to control their body temperature. Haigh isn't sure if this notion will ever be proven, but it's interesting just the same.