The surprising reason zebras have stripes - Cella Wright
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TEDEd Animation
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Zebras belong to the same equine family as horses and donkeys. After their lineage entered Africa, they evolved into three zebra species, lived in social herds, grazed on grasses, and evaded fierce predators. One mystery that has perplexed prominent scientists for decades is the matter of their coats: why are they striped? Cella Wright digs into the common theories about the unique patterning.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Want to learn more about why zebras and humans never managed to get along? Watch this SciShow video about why zebras, unlike horses, remained undomesticated creatures. SciShow also offers a primer on one of the most mysterious questions in the animal kingdom: “Why Do Zebras Have Stripes?” It was long theorized that the stripes served as camouflage, but a study from University of Calgary and UC Davis debunked that hypothesis— and others.
Horses were domesticated 6,000 years ago, leaving some of the ethical questions about the practice in the distant past. But this slice of history when humans attempted to turn the zebra from a wild creature into a utility evokes an important moral debate. Is it ok to domesticate animals? Is it even ethical to own a pet? Dig deeper into the conversation and draw your own conclusions.
Horses were domesticated 6,000 years ago, leaving some of the ethical questions about the practice in the distant past. But this slice of history when humans attempted to turn the zebra from a wild creature into a utility evokes an important moral debate. Is it ok to domesticate animals? Is it even ethical to own a pet? Dig deeper into the conversation and draw your own conclusions.
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Meet The Creators
- Script Writer Cella Wright
- Director Sharon Colman
- Narrator Addison Anderson
- Composer Jarrett Farkas
- Sound Designer Weston Fonger, Sound Goods
- Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
- Produced by Abdallah Ewis
- Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
- Script Producer Cella Wright
- Fact-Checker Charles Wallace
- Expert Consultant Tim Caro
