• Question: Are zebra's black with white stripes or white with black stripes?

    Asked by flossieqb to Tim, Damien on 18 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Tim Fosker

      Tim Fosker answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Hi @flossieqb

      Ah! The age old question. 🙂

      I remember reading quite a bit about this a few years ago and I’m going to say ‘black with white stripes’. I say this because under their fur zebra’s have black skin. Also the fur is coloured by the presence of a black pigment and the white stripes are made may a the stopping (inhibition) of pigment, so a zebra would be completely black if it wasn’t for the inhibition of the black pigment in stripes.

      I guess you can answer either way, but thats my go at an answer 🙂

    • Photo: Damien Hall

      Damien Hall answered on 18 Jun 2011:

      Is the cup half-empty or half-full?

      Also, I guess it depends on whether the zebra is sunburnt or not (in which case it would be black with red stripes).

      🙂

      Seriously, I can’t do any better than Tim’s answer!

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