Barnorama All Fun In The Barn
Photographers captured pictures of an adorable polka dot zebra in Kenya.
The unusual zebra was seen in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, where photographers Rahul Sachdev and Antony Tira, who is also a tour guide, snapped some photos of it.
Parmale Lemein, a wildlife specialist from the Matira Bush Camp, told the Daily Nation that this was the first such case of a polka dot zebra at the Mara Reserve. It’s most likely that the baby zebra has melanism, which is the opposite of albinism. However, he had some sad news: no similar zebras have survived past six months with such a condition in African parks.
Pictures of the baby zebra went viral online
According to some scientists, zebra stripes form when there’s an inhibition in melanin production, meaning that the animal is most likely black with white stripes and not the opposite.
But zebra stripes aren’t just for show. Live Science argues that they help the animals stay cool in the African heat. There are also theories that stripes help zebras hide from potential predators, and also help them avoid getting bitten by flies that are known to transmit diseases.
You can see the video of the beautiful baby zebra here