The Jailbirds

20269Not quite. But their pattern is arresting…

These animals are unbelievable. Horses for sure, when we observed them, they seemed to act just like the run of the mill domestic variety (though I am quite sure I’m mistaken). But their pattern is mystifying. Apparently some predators see only in black and white. Hence, the zebra has evolved with the characteristic stripes so that it and its thousand closest friends read as a disco ball in the night, confusing the cats and increasing their chance of surviving as compared to the brown gazelle, wildebeest, antelope and other deer-like species.

20549Only the old, young and ill fall behind the crowd and are singled out for the kill. Often when driving over the plains, we noted select animals of this description and our guides duly noted that it was unlikely the animal would make it throught the week. Only the fittest survive on the plains of Africa.