• Question: is a zebra black with whits stripes or white with black stripes ??

    Asked by chutneyoxo to Indi, Jarv, John, Ken, Vicky on 13 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Ken Dutton-Regester

      Ken Dutton-Regester answered on 12 Mar 2012:

      I like to think of them as skin coloured with white AND black stripes of fur!

    • Photo: Indi Ghangrekar

      Indi Ghangrekar answered on 12 Mar 2012:

      I don’t know for sure but it’s probably black with white stripes. The black colour is usually made by cells called melanocytes that add a pigment – a coloured protein – to skin or hair. So black results when colour is switched on and white when colour is switched off. But then again, maybe it depends how you want to see it, it could be that you view it as switching on the melanocytes is the normal state and switching them off is done on purpose in selected places (this would make them black with white stripes). Or that melanocytes off is the normal state and switching them on in selected areas is done on purpose (which would make them white with black stripes).

      The reason I think that they are black with white stripes is that having some white fur helps zebras deflect some heat from the sun which they definitely need in their extremely hot native habitat so it was an adaptation that helped them survive a bit more comfortably.

      What do you reckon @chutneyoxo?

    • Photo: Vicky Young

      Vicky Young answered on 12 Mar 2012:

      Black with white stripes

      Because when you get a zebra crossing the white is painted on top the black tarmac

    • Photo: Jarvist Moore Frost

      Jarvist Moore Frost answered on 13 Mar 2012:

      As a physicist, I’d say that these are both equivalent representations 🙂

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