However, their main predator, lions, are color blind. Zebras also live in herds, and their stripes make it difficult for lions to pick out a single zebra to hunt. Therefore, a zebra’s stripes help them to blend in with the herd rather than their surroundings. Their distinctive black and white stripes stand out against the brown savanna where they live and make them easy to spot. To us humans, zebras don’t appear to be camouflaged at all. Therefore, if its predators think it’s toxic, they won’t try to eat it! Viceroy butterflies are non-poisonous, but the Monarch is poisonous. To protect itself from predators, the Viceroy butterfly completely mimics the appearance of a Monarch butterfly. It gathers shells, rocks, and anything else on the seafloor to help it blend in and hide from predators. While the sea urchin’s appearance hasn’t been adapted to mimic its surroundings, it still uses camouflage to protect itself. It helps them hide from predators such as tiger sharks and orcas. The pattern on their shells is similar to the patterns that sunlight creates when it reflects into the water and onto the seafloor. Sea turtles use the patterns on their shells to camouflage themselves against the seafloor. Sometimes, they sway back and forth in the wind just like a branch to convince predators that they aren’t there. However, this creature has adapted to have a bark-like appearance, which lets it completely camouflage itself against trees. The clue is in the name – this insect looks exactly like your average stick or branch. But did you know that when the season changes and the ice melts away to reveal grassland, the fox changes color too? So while we instinctively think of the Arctic fox as white, it sheds its fur to make way for a brown coat in the summer months this allows it to blend in and hunt effectively for its prey. The Arctic fox has adapted its white fur to blend perfectly with the vast, snowy Arctic tundra.
#CAMOUFLAGE ANIMALS SKIN#
Their scales can completely change color to match their surroundings (usually the rainforest or a desert), which makes it impossible for predators to find them.ĭid you know some cells in a chameleon’s skin have guanine crystals? To change the color of their skin, chameleons adjust the space between these crystals, which affects how light reflects off their skin. That being said, they’re still a fantastic example of camouflage. But when chameleons change the colors of their scales, the primary function isn’t to camouflage themselves against their surroundings (though this is a handy side-effect).Ĭhameleons change color to regulate their body temperature and send messages and signals to their fellow chameleons. When you think of camouflage, more often than not, you think of the chameleon. Here are a few examples of animals that use camouflage. There are hundreds of creatures in the animal kingdom that camouflage themselves, and perhaps some are still undiscovered because they do it so well. For example, a species with feathers or scales can shed and camouflage itself much more regularly and easily than an animal with fur this is why most animals with fur camouflage themselves by season.Īnimals have adapted to use camouflage as a result of natural selection: those who have used camouflage are the ones who have survived in the wild. If the prey has no idea they’re there, it is much easier to hunt!Ĭamouflage varies from species to species. On the other hand, some predator species also use camouflage to sneak up on their prey. They use camouflage to hide their location and identity, particularly from predators if they’re a prey species. Mimicry – These animals pretend to look like other animals and are sometimes called ‘imposters.’ It is common in prey animals who pretend to be a different animal which is toxic or poisonous to their predator.Īnimals can use camouflage for many reasons, but survival is the overarching reason.Disguise – This is similar to concealing coloration however, animals imitate the texture or shape of their surroundings instead of using color.Disruptive coloration is when stripes, spots, or other patterns make it hard for other animals to distinguish the outline of their bodies.Concealing coloration – This is when an animal disguises itself against its background by being the same color as it.An animal that uses camouflage has adapted itself to look exactly like its surroundings or blend in with them – it makes them very difficult to spot! For example, if an animal lives in woodland with lots of leaves, trees, and branches, it might have adapted to have a brown coat that blends in with the rest of the environment.įor many animals, it’s a defense mechanism or a hunting tactic.Ĭamouflage can also be called cryptic coloration.
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