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Zebras are easily recognised by their bold black-and-white striping patterns. The coat appears to be white with black stripes, as indicated by the belly and legs when unstriped, but the skin is black. [44] [45] [46] Young or foals are born with brown and white coats, and the brown darkens with age.
Southern populations also have brown "shadow" stripes between the black and white colouring. These are absent or poorly expressed in northern zebras. The natal coat of a foal is brown and white and the brown darkens with age. [15] [14] [19] Various abnormalities of the patterns have been documented in plains zebras.
Therefore, the melanocytes in the black stripes have been activated -- while the melanocytes in the white fur are dormant. Simply put: Zebras are black. Get more zebras in the gallery below:
As with all zebra species, Grévy's zebra's pelage has a black and white striping pattern. The stripes are narrow and close-set, broader on the neck, and extending to the hooves. [ 17 ] The belly and the area around the base of the tail lack stripes and are just white in color, which is unique to the Grévy's zebra.
The researchers say zebra stripes are sharply outlined and thin because this specifically deters horseflies. A complicated answer to a black and white question. Show comments
Like all extant zebras, mountain zebras are boldly striped in black or dark brown, and no two individuals look exactly alike. The whole body is striped except for the belly. In the Cape mountain zebra, the ground colour is effectively white, but the ground colour in Hartmann's zebra is slightly buff. [7]
Burchell's zebras are described as being striped on the head, the neck, and the flanks, and sparsely down the upper segments of the limbs then fading to white. [5] One or two shadow stripes rest between the bold, broad stripes on the haunch. [5] This main distinguishing characteristic sets the Burchell's zebra apart from the other subspecies.
The unique stripes of the Chapman's zebra. Chapman's zebras are single-hoofed mammals that are a part of the odd-toed ungulate order. They differ from other zebras in that their stripes continue past their knees, and that they also have somewhat brown stripes in addition to the black and white stripes that are typically associated with zebras.