Prof. Mumblebard claims: “Zebra striping dazzles the pouncing lion. The pattern bewilders its assessment of range and speed, causing the predator to miss its target.”
Robin and the Honey Badger respond: “The spotted hyena, the most important predator of zebras, must first choose a vulnerable individual – e.g. a heavily pregnant female – before running it down by endurance. The striping works by overstimulating the hyena’s flicker-sensitive retina and thereby disguising any handicap from which a zebra may suffer. Importantly, this effect occurs before the zebra flees or the hyena attacks. The striping consequently frustrates predation by forestalling the charge rather than by foiling its aim.”
