How the zebra got its stripes

"Zebras are quite the communists. They graze together, groom each other and stay in packs to protect themselves from predators. And while some herds reportedly contain harems, a recent study observed peaceful and equal interactions amongst the sexes.

But it's not their egalitarian habits that define them, it's their distinctive black and white stripes, which for centuries have puzzled biologists. Now Adam Egri at Eötvös University in Budapest, Hungary, and colleagues have an answer: they believe zebras evolved stripes to protect themselves from blood-sucking insects."
via New Scientist /continue reading