Mom, why do zebras have stripes?

The most embarrassing, funny and practical parent-child question and answer book in history

Don't zebras look stupid with dots on them? Is this really the reason? Don't just talk without practice! You should tell Finn that the phenomenon he is concerned about is a mystery in evolution, which has puzzled scientists for centuries. It's wiser this way. Now, there are several contradictory theories and explanations, which are enough to prove that the experts have not made any conclusions.

Dr. Graham Hermson, a zoologist in the Department of Wildlife Conservation at Oxford University, once said, "Only a few people who have seen wild zebras on the African savannah will say,' Ouch! How well they disguise themselves! Even if there is an elephant hiding in the zebra's natural habitat, it is difficult to find it. Therefore, it cannot be said that Finn is completely wrong. The definition of camouflage, in a broader sense, is to confuse predators, which is becoming more and more reasonable.

There is a theory that the stripe pattern on zebra is more important than the stripe color, because the lion, the main predator of zebra, is color blind. Another view is that these markings can make zebras merge with each other, making it impossible for lions to determine which zebra to attack.

"Stripes on zebras can confuse predators." Li, a mammal keeper at London Zoo, said: "Black and white may not be common colors on grasslands, but it doesn't matter. Stripes will break the outline of a single zebra, making it more difficult for lions to find each individual zebra. " In this way, it is difficult for predators to see where the head of one zebra is and where the tail of the other zebra is. As we all know, zebra's hind legs are very strong. If you stand behind them carelessly, predators will be seriously injured. This is especially helpful for protecting the weak and more vulnerable zebras in the zebra herd. As zoologist Dr. Graham Hermson summed up: "If you are a lion, you will feel that you are attacking a moving bar code."

A recent theory is related to tsetse flies. Dr Graham Hemson, a zoologist, explained, "The tsetse fly is a terrible insect. Once bitten by tsetse flies, animals may suffer from "sleeping sickness", which is a disease caused by parasites, mainly in ungulates. According to scientists' research, tsetse flies have a very special sight, and in most areas, they are generally only attracted by animals with the same color. For zebra with black and white stripes, tsetse flies often turn a blind eye. "

Let's pray! Pray that Finn will stop asking scientists how to solve this problem! This will only make the whole question more daunting and difficult to answer. In this regard, Dr. Graham Hermson said: "Unless you get a group of donkeys with the same color in most areas and a group of zebras with black and white stripes, and drive them to the Serengeti grassland in Tanzania, East Africa to see which group of animals are more likely to survive in the end, it will be difficult to completely test this theory. Testing this question is actually not that important. If the child asks this question, it is not about eco-environmental protection, but more about the child's curiosity about science. "

Dr. Graham Hermson, a zoologist, also has his own opinion: "There is a good theory that stripes on zebras can regulate the surface temperature. Because black stripes can absorb more heat, while white stripes can reflect heat, they can handle heat at different rates. In this way, there will be an airflow vortex between different stripes, which can reduce the zebra's body temperature in the hot sun. We can also think of it as a built-in' air conditioning system'. "

In this way, the joke about zebra's long polka dot pattern is not stupid at all! (This article Source: Netease Parent-child)