Why Do Some Animals Have Stripes?

Stripes are like a superhero’s costume. Some animals have them to hide from enemies or confuse predators. For example, when a zebra moves, its stripes make it hard for a lion to pick out one zebra from the group. Think of it like wearing a checkerboard shirt, your friend can't find you in a crowd!

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Examples

A zebra herd running together looks like a blur of black-and-white lines, making it hard for a lion to focus on one zebra.
Stripes on tigers help them hide in the forest while they wait for prey.
A striped fish uses its colors to signal to other fish when it's ready to mate.

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Categories: Biology · animal behavior· evolution· zoology