BE PREPARED to look askance at a photographer’s stunning optical illusion photo, because no one is sure how many zebras this image actually contains.
Retired mechanical engineer Robert Holmwood captured a herd of Burchell’s zebras in the Kruger National Park in his native South Africa during one of the worst droughts on living memory.
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This photo of a zebra in the Kruger National Park has baffled internet usersCredit: Mercury Press
And the 64-year-old, who retired two years ago, said anyone looking at the muddled image has a different opinion about how many zebras are in the frame.
Robert said: “Zebras are social in nature and generally move in herds.
“It was the random positioning of individuals in the herd that created the illusion of striping and confusion as to the exact number present.”
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Can you figure out what’s going on here? Credit: imgur
Robert said that there are actually only four zebras in the photo.
He added: “I was amused and amazed by the reaction to my photo.
“I was amused by the number of people who guessed how many animals were in the photo. The guesses ranged from four to seven.
“By sharing the photo, I intended to encourage thinking about the reasons for zebra stripes, specifically the theory that they confuse predators when in a herd.
“The images bring humor to the general public, and assumptions about the number of zebras in this photo were many and varied, even from people with color vision. Predators apparently see fewer colors than humans.”
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It wasn’t the third leg…it was the vase all along! Credit: imgur
“In addition to the many speculations about how many zebras were shown, there were other interesting comments. An answer to the question ‘how many zebras do you see?’ it was ‘all of them'”.
The mystery of why they have stripes has baffled scientists for years.
The top five hypotheses for stripes are that they repel insects, provide camouflage through some optical illusion, confuse predators, reduce body temperature, or help animals recognize each other.
Robert, who worked as an engineer in the mining industry, has always had an interest in wildlife and reignited his passion for photography during his retirement.
He and his wife enjoy visiting African animal parks and combine animal watching with painting.
Robert’s image of a herd grazing drought-ravaged grass was taken early in the morning and did not take long to catch on.
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The image is confusing because the ham is blurred, while the bowl and table are not. Credit: Reddit
Robert: “This photo was taken early in the morning.
“In the wild, early morning is the best time because the game is most active and the natural sunlight is the best for good pictures. We stop not only to look at the predators, but at the whole game, to observe their interesting behaviour”.
“Forage herds are always on the move and are unpredictable in their movements. You need to make the most of the opportunity when it presents itself.
“I enjoy both photography and nature. Being retired allows us to spend time at game parks and fulfill our passion for photographing and observing animals in their natural wild state.
“Taking a good photo gives me a sense of satisfaction and I find wildlife photography very rewarding on a personal level.”
But this is not the first optical illusion that confuses users of social networks.
Imgur contributors were stunned by a stunning optical illusion of a three-legged girl kneeling on a bed.
While an image apparently depicting a “blurred” ham has made social media users squint at their computer screens.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: newstars.edu.vn