A rare polka dot baby zebra has been spotted in Kenya and the internet is going wild. This animal has already captured many hearts (including ours), and pictures of cute creatures have gone viral. What’s more, we can finally keep in mind the old question of whether zebras with black stripes are white or white stripes with black.
The unusual zebra was spotted at the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, where photographers Rahul Sachdev and Anthony Terra, who are also tour guides, took some pictures of it.
This was the first case of polka. zebra in Mara Reserve, wildlife expert Parmele Lehman, from the Matira Bushcamp, told the Daily Nation. It is most likely that the baby zebra has melanoma, as opposed to albinism. However, he had some sad news: no zebras have survived in African parks for the past six months with such a condition.
According to some scientists, zebra stripes are formed when melanin production is disrupted, meaning that the animal is mostly black with white stripes and not vice versa.
But zebra stripes are not just for show. LiveScience argues that they help animals stay cool in the African heat. There are also theories that the stripes help hide zebras from potential predators, and also help them avoid being bitten by flies that are known to transmit diseases.
You can see the video of the beautiful baby zebra here
Image credits: catersnews and Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association
H/T: boredpanda