Fun Zebra Pictures & FactsHome Page |
 |
A Grant's zebra enjoying the African sun.
Image Source: Gary M. Stolz, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This zebra picture can be on your desktop . . .
1024 x 768 || 800 x 600
|
Fact: Black stripes on white or white stripes
on black? Some zebras are born with unfully formed stripes that seem to indicate
a black background, pigment, or skin color with white stripes. But, how can zebra
stripes be useful for camouflage? Since a lion, one of the zebra's main predators,
is color blind, the pattern of the zebra's stripes is more crucial than color for
the zebra to blend with its background. A mass of blended stripes from a large, moving
group of zebras makes it difficult for the lion to plan an attack on any specific
zebra. Like fingerprints, zebras have uniquely identifiable stripes -- useful to
one another and scientists. They seem to get some kind of pleasure from looking at
stripes. Stripes seem to be so important to the zebra that black and white stripes
painted on a wall will attract zebras to group near the wall. |
Two startled zebras at sunset.
|
Image Sources: Illustration from the "Illustrated Natural History of the Animal Kingdom, Being a Systematic and Popular Description of the Habits, Structure, and Classification of Animals, from the Highest to the Lowest Forms, with Their Relations to Agriculture, Commerce, Manufactures, and the Arts," by S. G. Goodrich, Vol. I, 1859. Colored by Fun Zebra Pictures & Facts; African sunset taken by Gary M. Stolz, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. |
These zebras can be on your desktop:
1024 x 768 || 800 x 600
|
Fact: All zebras belong to the taxonomic
order of Perissodactyla, which means "odd toed" or "single toed."
Included in this order are tapirs, rhinoceroses, and horses. The zebra's hoof is
actually an elongated third toe, where the other toes are simply not visible. |
