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History

Grevy's zebras were first shown to Europeans in the colosseum in Rome by the Emperor Caracalla (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, 211-217 AD).  In the 17th century, they were rediscovered when Kind Assaghedus of Shoa, in Ethiopia, sent three animals to the Ottoman Sultan.  Menelik II, King of Shoa and Emperor of Abyssinia, sent a live animal to Jules Grévy, President of France, in 1882.  Although it died upon arrival, it was still stuffed and exhibited in the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris.  Honoring the President, the type of zebra was named Grevy's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behind the stripes...

There are several theories that explain the purpose of the unique stripes that zebras exhibit.  Black and white striped patterns have been retained and selected for throughout evolution of the zebra, and we are not quite certain as to why.  The four main speculations over the significance of the stripe are to avoid predators, certain social benefits, thermoregulation, and protection from pesky insects.

1. Predation avoidance: Stripes are an optical illusion that make a zebra appear larger and dazzle the predators.  Stripes disrupt a zebra's outline and make it hard for the predator to single out an individual zebra from the rest of the herd.  Stripes also blend in well with tall grasses and provide camouflage.  Behind a screen of small branches a zebra's fine stripes blur its frame.  In poor light, stripes are hard to distinguish.  During the daylight, zebra stripes are easily visible in an open grazing ground.  When viewed at a distance under poorer lighting conditions, zebras are much harder to notice.  This may be a benefit because lions and hyenas commonly hunt at dusk and dawn.  

                                                                                                                               

2. Social benefits: Stripes might promote group bonding and zebras with unusual patterns are thought to be more likely social outcastes.  Additionally, stripes might be markers for grooming or individual identifying devices.  There are differences between individuals striping patterns and these stripes might be used to tell each other apart.

3. Thermoregulation: Stripes might be a mechanism for the zebra to stay cool.  Some people believe that rotary breezes could be created by differential cooling of the black and white zones.

4. Protection from tsetse flies: Zebras do not seem to be a favored host for tsetse flies.  Researchers have done several tests with tsetse flies and found that they are attracted less to striped models compared to solid colored models.

                                                                                                                    

These theories are still very controversial, but all have fairly valid reasoning behind them.  Which do you think is the true reasoning behind the stripe?