As we all know, zebras are animals that have unique stripes in black and white color.
These stripes have kept scientists in awe for decades and there are a lot of properties they’ve been ascribed- possibly, they serve to help the animals repel insects, as an optical illusion to keep predators confused and to lower their bodily temperature.
However, have you heard about a zebra with spots instead of stripes?
Baby Zebra Born with Spots rather than Stripes
Antony Tira, professional photograph, caught the most beautiful photo in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya of a baby zebra with spots. After he uploaded them online, the photos quickly went viral.
Everyone was amazed-how can a zebra have spots?! Don’t they have stripes?
Tira explains that at first glance, he thought that the zebra was captured and painted or marked for migration purposes. He was also confused.
The week-old baby at the time was the first zebra in the reserve so photographers and tourists were all curious to go and catch a glimpse of this baby.
Is a Zebra Black with White Stripes or White with Black Stripes?
According to scientists, the answer to the age-old question is black with white stripes. They note that the stripes of zebras form when melanin is held back.
The rarer “blonde” zebras are like that because they have less melanin and thus, lightly colored stripes. But, this is the case in only a few zebras in the wild and captivity.
The baby zebra spots have been triggered by a condition known as melanism which is the opposite of albinism.
This happens when an animal is born with dark pigmentation. The sad news is that other zebra babies with this disorder in Africa haven’t lived past 6 months.
We hope this one makes it…
What Are Zebras Like?
Did you know that zebras are much more aggressive and dangerous than horses? Believe it or not, they’ve been known to kick each other to death and may also bite humans if they come too close.
In their natural habitat, they’ve also been seen fighting lions and can live up to 25 years. Their age depends on numerous factors, including predators and food availability. Plus, they’re also prone to some illnesses which may shorten their lifespan.
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