68 Camouflage Facts You Need To Know To Blend Into The Environment

For animals, camouflage is a matter of survival, but for us human beings, it has always been an intriguing concept.

Animal camouflage is an extensive field of study. Different animals use different techniques to perfectly match their appearance with that of the background so as to become seemingly invisible.

Camouflage coloration or changes in physical features vary from one animal to another. Based on the features that the animal uses and the purpose for which it camouflages, there are many types and techniques.

The four basic types are concealing coloration, disruptive coloration, disguise, and mimicry. Read on to discover some of the most amazing animal camouflage facts that will blow your mind!

Once you finish reading these cool camouflage animal facts, be sure to check out other interesting articles on octopus camouflage facts and praying mantis camouflage facts here at Kidadl.

Camouflage Fun Facts For Kids

Camouflage is an intriguing character that has tickled human interest for eons. The kids, on the other hand, are enthralled by nature's mystical strokes. Here are some fun camouflage facts for kids.

Did you know that only some species of animals have the innate ability to camouflage, but most of them have evolved due to the natural selection process? The type of concealing technique an animal uses depends on the main predator.

Modern camouflage techniques adopted by human beings are inspired by animal behavior and their physical traits. The uniforms that our soldiers wear are designed to camouflage them.

Though the actual colors might vary from one troop to another, most of them are combinations of different shades of green and brown. There are random patterns in them as well. This helps to keep these men concealed in their surroundings.

Soldiers might also use sun shields in their army vehicles to keep the whole vehicle from attracting attention. Some troops dress to blend with the observation tree or deck from where they monitor enemy movements. Artists also use this technique to create distinct art styles and fashion items.

Some animals pretend to be predators by changing their colors. Some animals avoid detection by changing color or employing a distinct camouflage technique to blend in with their surroundings. Disruptive coloration is another camouflage technique in which high-contrast patterns appear on the skin, thus making it very difficult to differentiate the animal from its background.

Color matching is one of the most common methods, but this is not the only technique used. Sometimes an individual animal in danger might simply change colors to send a warning signal to the other animals in the group.

The background the animal chooses to mimic might be living or non-living entities in their habitat. Natural camouflage, might not always be to protect the animal from some form of danger. Some animals use this to stay hidden and then attack their prey. Some animals only trigger these changes instantly when threatened.

Along with changes in color, some animals can also secrete pigments that can neutralize the predator and give them time to escape. Others do it to indicate that they might be deadly prey to hunters. Some of these adaptations depend on the size of the predator. Many alter their adaptations based on how the attack is made.

Some of these organisms can only protect themselves from one type of predator with these methods.

Camouflage: Phenomenon And Procedure

The actual procedure by which an animal camouflages depends on the type of camouflage it uses. The technique adopted depends on the purpose for which the animal is trying to hide. Read on to discover more facts about camouflage.

Animals camouflage by relying on their physical features sometimes. This could be feathers or scales on their skin, or even their coat in the case of animals with fur. They are born naturally with skin that resembles elements in the area they usually live in.

Animals that can make temporary changes to the color of their skin contain special kinds of cells called chromatophores. These can alter pigments and change the skin's natural color visibly. Some animals use a combination of physical features and these false colors. They manipulate how transparent or opaque these colors appear by stretching their bodies or curling tight.

Sometimes the animal merely controls the types of pigments these cells produce by deciding based on the predators or prey near them. Some animals can change their coats or skins by shedding them completely. They then develop new skin with characteristics based on the season and other factors.

There are a few that use camouflage only on specific parts of their bodies. Lizards can shed their tails, and the cut tail keeps wiggling for a few seconds. They regrow their tail later while the predator mistakes their tail for the lizard itself.

Some can evolve based on their surroundings. Instead of depending on just one technique, they try to use a combination of these to stay protected.

Different Animals That Can Camouflage

Animals small and large have a tough time staying safe from their predators. Natural camouflage is one of the innate strengths that helps them stay safe. Chameleons do not always change colors. They only do it when they feel threatened.

The snow-white coats of polar bears help them hide perfectly in the snow and thus save themselves from poachers and other threats. Ornate wobbegongs are also known as 'carpet sharks' because of the very fact that they lie nearly invisible, like a carpet on the ocean floor.

The Arctic fox develops two different coat colors throughout the year. Their summer coat is nearly brown, and their winter coat is white. Gallery scops owl is known to live in tree holes. Their skin and feathers blend in with the tree trunk, and they are barely discernible.

One of the popular jungle bugs known for their camouflage is the children’s stick insect that manages to stay hidden among eucalyptus trees. Owl butterflies have their name because the patterns on their wings look like owl’s eyes. This protects them from predators who mistake them for owls in trees.

Another bug that looks similar to tree bark is the tulip-tree beauty moth, with its wings containing subtle brown and ivory patterns. When you cross a path strewn with dry leaves, it would be hard to spot a ghost mantis with its body magically resembling the dry tree leaves.

Snapping turtles on the river beds might look like any other rock lying there. Their shells and the algae that sometimes grows on them make these turtles look very much like their natural habitat. Birds might not easily spot leaf butterflies that are experts in disguise. They even have details like stalks and veins.

Another insect that has features similar to plant parts is the flower mantis, which is predominantly found in Africa. They resemble flowers and have a stamen-like detail, which makes it hard to distinguish them from the flowers.

Lichen on trees can be in interesting patterns. The brown looper moths have similar interesting patterns that make it hard to recognize them on lichen-covered tree barks.

Most of the time, spiders are associated with a feeling of terror, but there are some spiders that are hard to recognize when they rest on dandelion flowers. They are called goldenrod crab spiders.

Copperhead snakes have brown skin and patterns that look like dried leaves in the forests where they live. This helps them stay concealed before they attack their prey. Speaking of snakes, the green tree vipers can hide in plain sight among the green leaves.

On the ocean reef, it would be hard to spot a venomous devil scorpionfish. The European tree frog looks green and indistinguishable from the leaves they sit on. Coral spider crabs live on coral and resemble their natural color and texture.

The dead leaf butterfly resembles decaying leaves in the forests. Commerson's frogfish has contrasting patterns, making it nearly invisible in its surroundings. The Arctic hare has a white coat that is hard to spot in the snow.

Different Types Of Camouflage

Camouflage is often mistaken for the ability to change color. But some animals manage to hide even without changing colors.

This could be due to their choice of surroundings or their skin color. To really understand this trait and to be sure that you can keep yourself safe from camouflaged animals that could be potentially dangerous, you should know about the types of camouflage possible.

Countershading is when the animal has different colors on different sides of its body naturally. These are all colors in their habitat, making it easier for them to hide. Most animals have patterns on their skin that resemble the natural elements around them. Leopards are the perfect example of this.

Background matching is the easiest and also the most common type of camouflage that most animal species make use of. Disruptive coloration is when the patterns on the animal's body are so natural that it is hard to spot an outline between the animal and its surroundings.

While most animals use these techniques to stay hidden, some use them to stay visible, a process called aposematism. Monarch butterflies, in their larva stage, protect themselves by being brightly colored. Birds understand that such brightly colored prey might be dangerous to them.

Dynamic camouflage is when the animal can change its skin color by secreting different-colored pigments below its transparent skin. There are some animals that can adapt to their environment using active camouflage.

Light-reflected changes in appearance would be put to good use by these animals. Sharks, for example, look dark-colored like the ocean floor from the top, and from the bottom, their white skins are tough to spot on the brightly lit ocean surface above.

Sometimes animals protect themselves by an exact imitation of the surrounding movements and natural traits, like the leaf butterfly that moves with the leaves. This is motion camouflage. Some simply rely on the use of some form of cryptic behavior, like staying motionless and thus escaping from their predators.

The markings on the bodies of some animals are chaotic, and they use this as a distractive camouflage technique. Some of them have transparent bodies, like the glass winged butterflies and glass frogs. They let light pass through, and so they look like whatever they rested on, without making an effort.

Camouflaged animals are hard to distinguish from the natural materials around them. So, knowing about their fascinating nature before heading out on a camping trip or trekking can be a lifesaver. This will help you stay safe.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for camouflage facts, then why not take a look at chameleon facts or chameleon changing color.