The Truth About Tiger Stripes
In The Truth About Tiger Stripes, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod explains why these big cats' stripes are orange and black. Learn how melanin, the pigment responsible for skin and fur color, creates the distinctive camouflage patterns of a tiger’s coat. Discover the ways tigers use their stripes for survival in the wild, blending into their surroundings to avoid predators and enhance their hunting capabilities. This video is excerpted from Secrets of Skin, a documentary series exploring the natural history of the body’s largest organ.
Professor Ben Garrod explores how skin has allowed vertebrates to conquer the planet. Learn more.
Lesson Express
Q: What purpose do the tiger’s stripes serve?
A: The stripes help the tiger blend into its environment, making it less visible to prey and predators.
Q: How does melanin influence the tiger’s appearance?
A: Melanin is the pigment that produces the black and orange colors of the tiger’s stripes.
Q: Why do you think camouflage is an important adaptation for tigers?
A: Camouflage helps tigers survive by making them harder to detect, improving their chances of catching prey.
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