25. Restocked — Glow in the Dark! Why do zebras have those crazy stripes? In addition to serving as a defense mechanism by making it harder for lions, leopards or other predators to pick any of them out of a herd, zebras’ coats also help them cope with Africa’s intense heat. Scientists say their shiny coats dissipate as much as 70% of incoming heat and think their black and white stripes may also protect them from solar radiation. While they may be protected from the heat, they are not safe from habitat loss and hunting. Two of the three zebra species are endangered and once they’re gone, they won’t be “restocked”