Female of the Species - Zebras - A strong sisterhood is key to staying safe

Zebras are masters of confusion. Their collective noun is ‘a dazzle’, which is fitting since their bodies and behaviour have been surprising scientists for centuries.

- By Lucy Cooke

Zebras are masters of confusion. Their collective noun is ‘a dazzle’, which is fitting since their bodies and behaviour have been surprising scientists for centuries.

Let’s start with their sassy stripes, which have been the subject of scientific debate since the time of Darwin. They were originally assumed to be a form of camouflage to protect these equine grazers against big predators. Others hypothesized that the pattern, which varies amongst individuals much like a thumbprint, acts as a means of identity signalling. Some even considered the black and white stripes a form of wearable air conditioner to protect their owner against the fierce equatorial sun.