Printable Zebra Mask

5 Interesting Facts About Zebras!

• No two zebras have the same stripe pattern - each individual's stripes are as unique as a human fingerprint, and zebras recognise each other by their stripe patterns just as we recognise faces.
• The stripe debate has a new answer - for decades scientists argued about whether zebras were black with white stripes or white with black stripes. The skin underneath is black, making them technically black with white stripes.
• Stripes appear to deter biting flies - research has shown that horseflies and tsetse flies struggle to land on striped surfaces. The pattern disrupts their visual system during approach, providing genuine protection against disease-carrying insects.
• Zebras sleep standing up for most of their rest - like horses, they can lock their legs and doze upright. They only lie down for deep REM sleep, and always with other zebras standing guard.
• A group of zebras is called a dazzle - a collective noun that perfectly captures the visual effect of multiple striped animals moving together, which genuinely confuses predators trying to isolate a single target.