(Image credit: Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)

Why do zebras have stripes? Depending on the scientist you ask, the answer may be related to camouflage, mating, or even fly repellent. A new study in the journal Royal Society Open Science poses a different explanation entirely: The stripes help zebras stay cool in warm weather.

"Zebra in areas with seasonal cold temperatures are less stripy than those in areas with sustained warm temperatures," UCLA researcher and lead study author Brenda Larison told The Huffington Post.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.