zebra's are actually black with white stripes. their skin color is black, and the white is where they lack pigmentation.

It's not a matter of their skin color at all. Just because dogs have pink skin don't make them pink. It's a matter of their fur color. Whether the black is the exception, or the white is the exception in fur color. And in that sense, black is the exception. If you actually look at the entire zebra, you find that the majority of the fur is white. For instance, many species have totally white legs, others have white chests. Only a couple species are striped all throughout their body. Also, you see throughout a zebras life that the black stripes wither and fade and so on, meaning that the black pigmentation is from special activation enzymes/cells, and that white is the natural state of hair growth.

again, the point i was trying to make is that zebras are black with white stripes because the white is where they lack pigmentation. if they had pigmentation in that area, it would be black. therefore, they are black with white stripes.

but isn't black the absence of color?

Do... Do you understand what you saying? That's like saying if a white dog has a black spot, he has black fur with white. Or the birthmark example below. Or if someone has brown eyes, blonde hair, and white skin, saying they are brown.... Please... Stop talking.

it's all about selective pigmentation. since humans are not completely white, they range from tan to brown, their pigments have been activated throughout their body. freckles and beauty marks are where the melanocytes (skin cells) have been overactivated and produce too much pigment. so, people are tan with darker spots caused by overactivation of the melanocytes. zebras are black with white stripes caused by inhibition of the melanocytes.

Unless it's gold with white stripes.

god knew that we would solve so many mysteries.
so he made the zebra to keep us busy