h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Once, I was constantly puzzled by the zebra's dramatic stripes, wondering what survival value the animal could derive from them.

Then I saw a wild life video of a zebra drinking at a waterhole and as the ripples spread away from where it had dipped its muzzle into the water, perpindicular to the line of sight, the horizontal stripes on its rump blended so well into the ripple pattern, for a moment it disappeared.

Next, the zebra turned and walked away, fronting the waterhole, as the ripples spread, coming closer and closer to the line of sight in the perspective, so that the vertical stripes on the zebra's flanks came more and more closely into alignment with the still spreading ripples, blending in a way that made it difficult see the zebra's outline.

I hadn't thought till I saw it that there might be a camouflage effect operating when the zebra needs it most, distracted while drinking at the waterhole, its back turned to potential predators.

I'm interested in the dewlap, Willem. What purpose does it serve other than being attractive in displays? Could it possibly store water there?They look very strong and sturdy---probably from climbing up and down mountains. That is enough to reduce any being's fat to muscle tissue.

Hi ITIWBS! That's really an interesting theory about zebra stripes. Other theories are that stripes deter biting flies; that they play some role in body temperature regulation; and that zebras find stripes pretty!

Elektra, I don't think there's any water-storage effect with the dewlap, it's just a flap of skin. Display counts as a pretty important thing among animals! Possibly the dewlap could help radiating excess body heat, though, seeing as these live in dry and hot (well, often hot) regions.

Thanks for the comments!

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Camouflage patterns have a fascination in their own right.

In the desert environment where I live, I find myself constantly doing a doubletake over split Mexican Mimosa pods since the marking on the the pods so closely resemble markings of many common desert reptiles.