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.
For many animals, it’s a defense mechanism or a hunting tactic.
Camouflage can also be called cryptic coloration.
There are four main types of camouflage:
- Concealing coloration – This is when an animal disguises itself against its background by being the same color as it.
- Disruptive coloration is when stripes, spots, or other patterns make it hard for other animals to distinguish the outline of their bodies.
- Disguise – This is similar to concealing coloration; however, animals imitate the texture or shape of their surroundings instead of using color.
- 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.
Why do animals use camouflage?
Animals can use camouflage for many reasons, but survival is the overarching reason. They use camouflage to hide their location and identity, particularly from predators if they’re a prey species. On the other hand, some predator species also use camouflage to sneak up on their prey. If the prey has no idea they’re there, it is much easier to hunt!
Camouflage varies from species to species. 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.
Animals 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.
Which animals camouflage themselves?
There are hundreds of creatures in the animal kingdom that camouflage themselves, and perhaps some are still undiscovered because they do it so well. Here are a few examples of animals that use camouflage.
Chameleon
When you think of camouflage, more often than not, you think of the chameleon. 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).
Chameleons change color to regulate their body temperature and send messages and signals to their fellow chameleons. That being said, they’re still a fantastic example of camouflage. 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.
Did 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.
Arctic Fox
The Arctic fox has adapted its white fur to blend perfectly with the vast, snowy Arctic tundra. 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.
Stick Insect
The clue is in the name – this insect looks exactly like your average stick or branch. However, this creature has adapted to have a bark-like appearance, which lets it completely camouflage itself against trees. Sometimes, they sway back and forth in the wind just like a branch to convince predators that they aren’t there.
Sea Turtle
Sea turtles use the patterns on their shells to camouflage themselves against the seafloor. The pattern on their shells is similar to the patterns that sunlight creates when it reflects into the water and onto the seafloor. It helps them hide from predators such as tiger sharks and orcas.
Sea Urchin
While the sea urchin’s appearance hasn’t been adapted to mimic its surroundings, it still uses camouflage to protect itself. It gathers shells, rocks, and anything else on the seafloor to help it blend in and hide from predators.
Viceroy Butterfly
To protect itself from predators, the Viceroy butterfly completely mimics the appearance of a Monarch butterfly. Viceroy butterflies are non-poisonous, but the Monarch is poisonous. Therefore, if its predators think it’s toxic, they won’t try to eat it!
Zebra
To us humans, zebras don’t appear to be camouflaged at all. Their distinctive black and white stripes stand out against the brown savanna where they live and make them easy to spot. 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.
Leopard and Cheetah
Leopards and cheetahs are well-known for their spots and play a huge role in these species’ camouflage. The spots help to disguise the outline of the animal’s body, allowing it to blend in with the brown savanna landscape. Using this camouflage tactic, leopards and cheetahs can easily sneak up on their prey and hunt.
