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A zebra from the Limpopo Province of South Africa
The Zebra is a part of the horse family, Equidae, native to central and southern Africa. They are most well known for their distinctive black and white stripes.
Zoologists believe that the stripes act as a camouflage mechanism. The vertical striping helps the zebra hide in grass. While seeming absurd at first glance considering that grass is neither white nor black, it is very effective against the zebra's main predator, the lion, which is color blind. A zebra standing still in tall grass may not be noticed at all by a lion.
Stripes are also believed to play a role in social interactions, with slight variations of the pattern allowing the animals to distinguish between individuals.
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