Large African mammals related to horses, with distinctive black-and-white striped coats.
From Portuguese 'zebra,' possibly from a Bantu language or from an older Portuguese or Spanish word. The term entered European languages through Portuguese traders in Africa in the 16th century.
Scientists still debate why zebras have stripes—are they for temperature control, for confusing predators, for individual recognition, or to repel biting flies? After 200 years of study, this beautiful animal still keeps its stripes' true secret, reminding us that nature often looks simpler than it actually is.
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