Q. Why do zebras have such bold...

Q. Why do zebras have such bold stripes that would make them stand out in their environment?

A. Actually, the zebra’s stripes are protective coloration just like the skin patterns of most African animals, according to Randy Rieches, curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo. The zebra lives primarily on savannas, where the stripes allow it to blend in with the tall grass and weeds. The stripes also make it difficult for potential predators to judge the distance to a zebra, he added. When heat waves rise from the ground-a phenomenon easily observed on long highways in the summer-the combination of the waves and the stripes blurs the predator’s vision.

Although each of three zebra species has a distinct stripe pattern, Rieches said, the stripes are like fingerprints-no two animals have the same exact pattern. Experiments have shown that zebras are attracted to striped objects from birth. Those with abnormal stripe patterns are usually excluded from the herd, however, and seldom survive.