10/6/2005: Zebras

Undertoad · 10-06-2005, 10:26 AM

Magilla suggested this one out of a gallery of zebras, and I think it's a fine choice. Partly because it's such a great photo.

It really shows off why zebras have stripes at all. We think zebras look strange, but we look at them from our understanding of the world, and it turns out they are adapted to the lion's view of the world. From Howstuffworks:

Quote:

When all the zebras keep together as a big group, the pattern of each zebra's stripes blends in with the stripes of the zebras around it. This is confusing to the lion, who sees a large, moving, striped mass instead of many individual zebras. The lion has trouble picking out any one zebra, and so it doesn't have a very good plan of attack. It's hard for the lion to even recognize which way each zebra is moving: Imagine the difference in pursuing one animal and charging into an amorphous blob of animals moving every which way. The lion's inability to distinguish zebras also makes it more difficult for it to target and track weaker zebras in the herd.

So do zebra stripes confuse zebras as much as they confuse lions? Oddly enough, while making zebras indistinguishable to other animals, zebra stripes actually help zebras recognize one another. Stripe patterns are like zebra fingerprints: Every zebra has a slightly different arrangement. Zoologists believe this is how zebras distinguish who's who in a zebra herd.

So it's quite amazing, really! The zebra has developed two unique things: a pattern that confuses pattern recognition in lions, and a specific pattern recognition ability so they aren't as confused as the lion.

Human pattern recognition is very good - it's one of the things we are really known for - so we can tell that the above photo is different zebras, and not just one big mass of zebra-something. But try to count them.

Go ahead, try it, I'll wait.

No, really, how many zebras are in that picture?

OK. You counted the heads, and then you got confused in the bodies. That's your pattern recognition at work; because you are human, you're strongly biased towards finding differences in faces. You can recognize different people by tiny differences in their faces, and your brain is actually optimized for that task.

A zebra would look at that picture and say right away, oh sure, there are 11 zebras. A lion would look at it and say, I have no idea, it's a big pack, how annoying, the gazelle next door is easier.

Undertoad · 10-06-2005, 10:29 AM

Ah yes, and one other point: Fridays are reserved for cute/cool animal pictures. That means the python/gator clash has to wait until tomorrow. I thank all of you who saw it and realized that it was the perfect IotD. It is, but the rules say it has to wait!

xoxoxoBruce · 10-06-2005, 11:02 AM

Great picture.

There is a number of outstanding pictures on that link.
IIRC one of our members owned Zebras...a member of a different stripe.

chrisinhouston · 10-06-2005, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

The zebra has developed two unique things: a pattern that confuses pattern recognition in lions, and a specific pattern recognition ability so they aren't as confused as the lion.

Wow, you mean the zebra evolved over time to be this way? I always thought that God just decided to make them like this...well maybe not God, maybe it was some other creator, but no one is really sure who that is.

barefoot serpent · 10-06-2005, 01:17 PM

yup... I count 2

Trilby · 10-06-2005, 01:34 PM

Most awesome pic! Is there a poster? There should be.

And thanks on waiting on the python v. 'gator. Florida. Who needs it?

Happy Monkey · 10-06-2005, 01:54 PM

That looks like a good place for Man to die after disproving the existence of God and proving black is white.

capnhowdy · 10-06-2005, 03:12 PM

Best IoTD in a while.
And thanks for the input, UT. It's a sorry ass that can't learn something here in the Cellar.
I'd hate to know I had to tell any TWO zebras apart. Looking at the image they are all nearly identical exept for the younger ones.
I wonder what they see when they look at a crowd of homosapien.
THERE IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS
If George Jefferson were a cellarite I wonder what his comment would be.......I always wanted to ride one.

papabell · 10-06-2005, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianna

...Is there a poster?...

or, better yet, a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle...

BigV · 10-06-2005, 04:33 PM

Please, God, no.

Griff · 10-06-2005, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

A zebra would look at that picture and say right away, oh sure, there are 11 zebras.

Can I have a citation for this counting zebra of yours?

Katkeeper · 10-06-2005, 04:48 PM

There is such a jigsaw puzzle. I own it. Not quite the same picture, but very similar. And yes, I have completed it.

Leah · 10-06-2005, 05:47 PM

That makes me dizzy looking at them.

Undertoad · 10-06-2005, 06:06 PM

Actually today is Thursday.

The gator pic waits for Saturday.

Wombat · 10-06-2005, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Actually today is Thursday.

The gator pic waits for Saturday.

lmao! If it makes you feel any better, it's Friday here in Australia.

10-06-2005, 11:02 AM	#3
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Great picture. There is a number of outstanding pictures on that link. IIRC one of our members owned Zebras...a member of a different stripe. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

10-06-2005, 01:34 PM	#6
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Most awesome pic! Is there a poster? There should be. And thanks on waiting on the python v. 'gator. Florida. Who needs it? __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

10-06-2005, 01:54 PM	#7
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	That looks like a good place for Man to die after disproving the existence of God and proving black is white. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

10-06-2005, 03:12 PM	#8
capnhowdy Blatantly Homosapien Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,200	Best IoTD in a while. And thanks for the input, UT. It's a sorry ass that can't learn something here in the Cellar. I'd hate to know I had to tell any TWO zebras apart. Looking at the image they are all nearly identical exept for the younger ones. I wonder what they see when they look at a crowd of homosapien. THERE IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS If George Jefferson were a cellarite I wonder what his comment would be.......I always wanted to ride one. __________________ Please type slowly. I can't read very fast............... and no holy water, please.

10-06-2005, 04:33 PM	#10
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Please, God, no. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

10-06-2005, 10:29 AM	#2
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Ah yes, and one other point: Fridays are reserved for cute/cool animal pictures. That means the python/gator clash has to wait until tomorrow. I thank all of you who saw it and realized that it was the perfect IotD. It is, but the rules say it has to wait!

10-06-2005, 01:17 PM	#5
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	yup... I count 2

10-06-2005, 04:48 PM	#12
Katkeeper Hoodoo Guru Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Mechanicsburg PA Posts: 296	There is such a jigsaw puzzle. I own it. Not quite the same picture, but very similar. And yes, I have completed it.

10-06-2005, 05:47 PM	#13
Leah Love my Heffalumps Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia (best place in the world) Posts: 346	That makes me dizzy looking at them.

10-06-2005, 06:06 PM	#14
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Actually today is Thursday. The gator pic waits for Saturday.

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