http://www.newsweek.com/scientists-animals-stripes-spots-1841917

Scientists may have finally solved the mystery of how some animals get their stripes and spots.

There are many animals that have these patterns on their skin or fur—including tigers, zebras and the giraffe, just to name a few. But nature's reason for this has always remained unclear, although biologists have previously shown that in some cases, they are for camouflage or to attract mates. The study of genes alone does not fully explain where or how the spots or stripes develop.