Survival can become a challenging task in the wild – especially if you’re smaller or slower than your possible predators. This is why many wild animal species have developed different ways of animal camouflage throughout evolution. Ways of animal mimicry differ depending mostly on three factors: the physiology and behavior of the animal, then those of the predator and the environment, in which the wild animal lives and hunts its food. Blending in with the environment is the most common approach. And what better way to illustrate this than through wildlife photography.
Natural selection plays its part here as well: like the way in which an animal camouflages itself is determined genetically, every new generation adapts to its surroundings better. What usually happens is then these cute animals imitates the coloration of its natural habitat, although some species are known to be able to adjust their coloration. The most common example is a chameleon, although some furry animals and birds may lose their feathers and fur completely and replace it with a new one for a new season.
Surprisingly, sometimes the best way to camouflage oneself is to stick with the herd: for example, when a lion walks by a bunch of zebras, it only sees a big striped mass. Some fish that are covered in bright vertical stripes might also be clearly visible when alone, but if a large group of them swims by, a predator will see an unidentified colored blob.
Without further ado, here are 20 amazing animal pictures of camouflage examples. Can you find all the funny animals in these cool pictures below?
1. Owl
Image credits: eoiarucasadvancedone.blogspot
2. Uroplatus Geckos
Image credits: imgur | Jialiang Gao
3. Willow Ptarmigan
Image credits: Art Wolfe
4. Toads
Image credits: photography.nationalgeographic.com
5. Common Baron Caterpillar
Image credits: wohinauswandern
6. Seahorse
Image credits: imgur
7. Spider
Image credits: Piet Grobler
8. Adelpha Serpa Selerio Caterpillar
Image credits: Arthur Anker
9. Stick Insect
Image credits: phasmatodea.cz
10. Frog
Image credits: earthwatch2.org
11. Owl
Image credits: Art Wolfe
12. Tropidoderus Childrenii
Image credits: petrichor
13. Leaf-Tailed Gecko
Image credits: dailymail
14. Stone Flounder
Image credits: domhyde.wordpress.com
15. Great Potoo
Image credits: dailymail
16. Snow Leopard
Image credits: raghu chundawat
17. Katydid
Image credits: dailymail
18. Owl
Image credits: P A B S
19. Giraffe
Image credits: Art Wolfe
20. Hedgehog
Image credits: good-wallpapers.com
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