Why zebras have stripes, and point out that people are often different from those around them, too.

Zebras are the only large land mammals with stripes. Why do they have these white and black lines, and why don't other animals? There are several theories about why zebras have such bold markings, but scientists have yet to find a definitive answer. Although we don't know exactly why zebras evolved their distinctive stripes, we do know that many other species share this unique patterning for different reasons—and that humans also share some similarities with these striped animals.

Theories that have been disproved

In the past, there have been a couple theories about why zebras have stripes. One states that their stripes confuse predators so they can't sneak up on them as easily. Another says that their stripes protect against sunburn. A third suggests that their stripes help zebras attract mates by looking more attractive to other zebras (spoiler: this is not true). The fourth theory is that the stripes help zebras recognize each other and keep track of which herd they belong to—but there's no evidence for this one either!

Theories researchers are still investigating

Scientists have been studying the zebra’s stripes for over a century, but they still don't have all of the answers. There are several theories about why zebras have stripes, and you might be surprised to learn that some of them are actually still being tested! In fact, one theory was disproved just last year.

• The first theory states that zebras use their stripes as camouflage so they can blend into their environment. This may seem like a plausible explanation at first glance, but it has been proven false by scientists who observed wild zebras in Africa and found no evidence to support this idea.
• The second theory suggests that zebras use their stripes for communication with other animals—specifically predators like lions—that would otherwise attack them if they were recognizable black or white targets without any markings on them (like you might see on an elephant). Again though, further testing showed no evidence supporting these claims either: there were no instances where lions chose not to chase after prey whose bodies were covered with bold patterns instead of muted ones like most other prey animals exhibit naturally—even when those same animals had recently escaped from predators by blending into their surroundings successfully during previous encounters!

Theories that scientists have found to be the most likely explanation

There are several theories as to why zebras have stripes. The most likely explanation, according to scientists and historians, is that they're all about camouflage. This theory is supported by the fact that zebras aren't just white and black—they also have stripes on parts of their body that blend in with other textures in their environment. For example, a zebra's legs might be dark brown or grayish instead of black so that they don't stand out from the grasses or rocks around them.

Another theory is that these stripes act as protection against predators. If a lion sees a zebra in its natural habitat (such as Kenya), it may think it's seeing one animal instead of many because there are so many different patterns going on all at once—and then it won't attack! This would mean fewer predators around for zebras to worry about when it comes time for them to reproduce.

Zebras and humans both have a lot of differentiating factors.

As a child, you might have asked your parents why zebras had stripes. Maybe they answered that the zebra was trying to hide in the tall grass or blend into its surroundings. However, even though zebras are a very large animal with striking markings, they're actually quite shy and prefer to avoid interaction with humans. In fact, if you see a zebra running across the plains of Africa today it's because someone has been chasing it!

It's easy to assume that this question relates only to animals—and perhaps even just wild animals—but what about people? Are we also "stripe-y?" Do we have many differences from one another?

Surprisingly enough, yes! We all have our own personalities and unique ways of behaving. Some people are introverts while others are extroverts; some people enjoy sports while others can't stand them; some people love math while others hate it (I'm looking at you guys). But there is one thing all humans share: we're all different from each other!

Conclusion

I hope that you have enjoyed learning about zebras and their stripes. It's a fascinating topic, and I'm glad we could spend some time on it today. The most likely explanation for why zebras have stripes is that they help them blend into the background and avoid predators, but there are other theories as well.