Camouflage is one of the behavioral adaptations animals do in order to survive in the wild. Camouflage is the technique animals use to mimic plants, ground cover or even other animals in order to hide or hunt. An animal which can camouflage very well may be able to hide from its predators or even from its potential preys.
Do you know that some sea animals can change color too? Get the complete list of sea animals that can change colour and learn about their characteristics too!
Aren’t you curious of what animals can camouflage very well? Let’s check these 7 amazing animals.
- Chameleon
Chameleon might be the most famous animal which can do camouflage. It is the “master of animal camouflage”. This lizard is able to change the color and pattern of its skin.
Chameleons are lizards of warm climates and are found in most areas in the Middle East, southwestern Asia, and southern Europe, Africa, India and Sri Lanka.
Chameleons do not only change color to escape from their predators, but also to hide from the prey, making them efficient predators. There are some more reasons chameleon camouflage themselves.
Besides the ability to change their color and pattern, chameleons also have eyes that look like turrets. They can move independently of each other.
- Scorpionfish
Scorpionfish are not only the masters of camouflage, but is also known as one of the most venomous fish in the world. They can be found all over the world in warm waters, but are most common in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Scorpionfish obtain their names because of their ability to stinging spines found in the body. These spines are found in their dorsal fin and are covered in venomous mucus.
They are able to protect the animals from the predators. Not only that, the coloring of their body also helps them to hide from their potential preys, shrimps and crabs.
- Walkingstick
Have you ever seen a twig or stick walking by itself? Then, it might be a walkingstick! A walkingstick is an insect that can be found in the tropics, and it resembles twigs or sticks. Walkingsticks can be found everywhere on earth, especially in Patagonia and Antarctica.
There are around 300 species of walkingsticks in the world and they range in length from 0.5 inch to 12 inches. Walkingsticks can be brownish, gray, or green with a striped head. They mostly feed on leaves of the shrubs and trees and they do it mostly at night.
One interesting thing about walkingsticks is that they stop moving when they sense a predator nearby. When they stop, you can barely see them; it is almost impossible to find them! Sadly, the conservation status of walkingsticks is near threatened. It is due to the loss of their habitat.
- Owl Butterfly
An owl butterfly has some clever markings that make it look an owl. This kind of adaptation is known as Batesian mimicry. This way has fooled small birds predators into thinking that they see owl eyes. As we know, owls are the predators that many small birds are conditioned to steer clear of.
- Crab Spider
This flower spider might look cute, but it is deadly! Crab spiders obtain their name because of their front legs and scuttles much the way a tiny crab would. There are over 2,000 species of Thomisidae crab spider and they can be found all over the world.
They are also known as flower spiders because they love sitting on a flower and waiting for their prey, such as butterfly and other pollinators. Once they get it, they ambush it.
Some crab spiders are able to change their color and match it to the color of the flower they sit on. They might even change their color into the color of their prey!
- Leopard
Leopard might be one of the large beasts which can do camouflage. It uses camouflage to hide from their predators, which is the lion. Leopards is not only found in Africa, but in some parts of the Middle East, Central Asia, India, Southeast Asia and even East Asia.
Do you know the differences between leopard and cheetah? They might look the same, but they are actually different!
- Polar Bear
Polar bear is one of the bears you can find around the world that inhabits the Arctic . Their white fur lets them blend well in the snow. Polar bears camouflage to avoid predators and target their prey.
Unfortunately, other bears and human poachers are threats to polar bears. Get to know polar bear habitat by reading these unique facts about Arctic animals.