Why Do Zebras Have Stripes? Science Finally Has a Solid Answer

Zebras are among the most visually iconic animals on Earth. But a question that has haunted humankind for centuries still begs an answer: why do zebras have stripes? It now seems we may finally be close to the truth—and it’s far more functional than fanciful. The riddle of the zebra’s stripes has puzzled great minds throughout history. Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, fathers of evolutionary theory, both wrestled with this black-and-white enigma. Even Rudyard Kipling turned it into a tale of mythical transformation. Over the centuries, scientists proposed dozens of theories—from camouflage to social bonding—but none stood up to full scientific scrutiny. Camouflage and Confusion: Theories That Fell Short One of the most enduring ideas was that zebra stripes served as a form of "disruptive coloration," a visual trick that breaks up an animal’s outline, much like the camouflage of tigers or pandas. But zebras live in open savannahs, not dense jungles—there’s little to hide behind.