The surprising reason zebras have stripes - Cella Wright

Summary

In the 19th century, European colonists in Africa faced challenges controlling vast territories, including a problem with biting flies that affected horses but not zebras. The German Empire attempted to domesticate zebras for military use, but the project was difficult. Scientists have long debated the purpose of zebra stripes, with recent theories suggesting they may deter biting flies, which could explain their immunity. Despite efforts, domestication attempts failed, leaving zebra taming a rare historical event.

Takeaways

• 🐎 The script discusses the historical attempt by a 19th-century English aristocrat to domesticate zebras for use in colonial Africa.
• 🌍 European colonists in Africa faced challenges such as managing vast territories and dealing with biting flies that affected their horses.
• 🦓 Zebras were seen as a potential solution due to their apparent immunity to the diseases transmitted by biting flies.
• 🇩🇪 The German Empire was particularly interested in domesticating zebras for military use, viewing them as 'predestined' for such needs.
• 👨‍✈️ Fritz Bronsart von Schellendorff, a former German colonial army officer, led the mission to domesticate zebras but underestimated the task.
• 🔍 The script explores various theories about why zebras have striped coats, including social functions, temperature regulation, and predator confusion.
• 🦟 A promising hypothesis suggests that zebra stripes may serve as a defense mechanism against biting flies, which were a significant problem for horses.
• 🧪 Experiments have shown that certain biting flies are deterred by striped patterns, which could explain the evolutionary advantage of zebra striping.
• 🐾 Zebras have strong survival instincts and physical adaptations, such as the ability to run soon after birth and powerful bites and kicks.
• 📉 Bronsart's efforts to domesticate zebras were unsuccessful, with high costs and many zebras dying in captivity, highlighting the challenges of the endeavor.

Q & A

What was the dream that the English aristocrat embodied by riding a zebra-drawn carriage?

The dream embodied by the English aristocrat was the European ambition to dominate the African continent, which was a decades-long endeavor.

What problem did 19th century European colonists face in Africa that affected their horses?

Colonists faced the problem of biting flies that could extract half a liter of horse blood daily and transmit fatal diseases, devastating domestic horses.

Why were zebras considered a potential solution to the problem faced by colonists with their horses?

Zebras appeared to be immune to the diseases transmitted by biting flies, which made them a potential solution for the colonists who were losing their horses to these diseases.

Which empire considered zebras 'predestined for the use of military needs' and attempted to domesticate them?

The German Empire considered zebras 'predestined for the use of military needs' and undertook the task of domesticating them.

Who was Fritz Bronsart von Schellendorff and what was his role in the zebra domestication project?

Fritz Bronsart von Schellendorff was a former German colonial army officer who placed himself at the helm of the mission to domesticate zebras around 1900.

What is one of the longstanding mysteries about zebras that has perplexed scientists?

One of the longstanding mysteries about zebras that has perplexed scientists is why they have conspicuously striped coats.

What is the current understanding of the function of zebra striping according to the script?

The current understanding suggests that zebra striping might act protectively against biting flies, interfering with their ability to land and feed, thus limiting their blood-sucking and disease-transmitting opportunities.

What experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that zebra stripes protect against biting flies?

Experiments involved observing the behavior of biting flies around horses covered in striped and checked rugs compared to solid grey, and also around horses, zebras, and horses clad in zebra print, noting the frequency of landing and the approach speed of the flies.

What challenges did Bronsart face in his attempt to domesticate zebras, and what were the outcomes?

Bronsart faced challenges such as underestimating the project, zebra's strong defensive adaptations, and the inability to meet their needs, like providing enough milk for their calves. His operation burned through the budget quickly, and many zebras died in captivity.

Why were zebras difficult to domesticate according to the script?

Zebras were difficult to domesticate due to their strong fight and flight adaptations, such as the ability to run soon after birth, fierce bites, and kicks strong enough to kill a predator. Additionally, their needs were not well understood or met by the domestication attempts.

What is the current status of zebra domestication efforts as described in the script?

The script describes zebra domestication attempts as having failed miserably, with the few instances of taming remaining rare and largely part of history.