Nature trail

Camouflage and other defence tactics

Natural camouflage is an animal’s ability to hide itself from both predator and prey. It is one of the most varied and widespread adaptations among animals for their survival. The specific nature of this camouflage varies considerably from species to species. There are several factors that determine what sort of camouflage a species develops.

An animal with fur will develop a different type of camouflage than that of an animal with scales or feathers. For most animals ‘blending in’ is the most effective approach. Most animals that live on land such as deer, squirrels and hedgehogs have brownish earth tone colours while those that live in the sea have a greyish-blue colouring. But, there are many animals that don’t have a natural camouflage and are very conspicuous (prominent) in their environments.

The means of colouration for camouflage depends on an animal’s physiology and so in most mammals, the camouflage colouration is in the fur. In reptiles, amphibioms and fish, it is in the scales. In birds it is in the feathers and in insects it is part of the exoskeleton. In addition to having body colours that naturally blend with the environment, and the ability to change colour for protection, some animals have distinctive designs such as spots, stripes and patches that act as camouflage and help confuse predators.

All animals, whether they live on land, high up in the skies or deep in the ocean are not exempt from being attacked by predators. They are constantly under threat of being killed by another animal including the most intelligent of this species - man. So, how do you think these animals cope with or ward off predators? By resorting to various defence tactics and also another valuable gift some of them have been given by nature itself - camouflage. You may be familiar with some forms of camouflage animals are naturally endowed with or the tactics they use to avoid being hunted down and killed. Let’s check out what some of our animal friends do to survive in the wild...

When it comes to camouflage, colour and the environment play an important role for many an animal. Most animals have skins, feathers or fur coats that blend with the natural habitats they live in.

Some have the ability to change colours when faced with danger and the chameleon is one such animal.

Descendants of an ancient group of reptiles, with about 50 different species in existence today, chameleons have a very granular skin which changes colour depending on the mood; when the creatures are excited, the colours get brighter, when angry, the colours darken and when frightened, the colours get paler. With this wonderful capability to change the colours of their bodies according to how they feel, they have the ability to also blend perfectly with the habitat when needed. For instance, when the chameleons are crawling along the branches of trees they change to green or brown to match the colour of leaves and bark of the trees. As a result, the enemy can’t spot them very easily and neither can they be seen by their victims when hunting for food.

The smallest living carnivore, barely longer than an adult human’s hand, the least weasel too has the ability to change the colour of its coat to match the environment it lives in, like all its other big weasel cousins. During winter, the fur coat of weasels change into a snow white colour, but when summer comes the coats turn back into brown. This way they are able to stay well hidden from their enemies. But unlike the winter coats of other weasels, the winter coat of the least weasel fluoresces (radiates) a bright lavender colour under ultraviolet light. Arctic foxes too change colour seasonally,like the veasels.

You must be aware that polar bears that inhabit the Arctic region too have white coats to blend with the ice fields they live in. Except for their black noses, they are fully white.

These polar bears which hunt by stealth are known to sometimes cover their shiny black noses with snow, especially when hunting seal. The polar bears can detect seal pups in their calving dens even under three feet of snow due to their sharp sense of smell.

Many other land-based animals blend perfectly with the habitats they live in that we hardly notice them. These animals use this camouflage not only to defend themselves, but also to catch prey. For instance the praying mantis which can be either green or brown to match the plants they sit on or even the colour of the plant’s flower, are very difficult to spot especially since it sits perfectly still until a prey comes near. This natural camouflage helps it to catch many a prey.

Apart from camouflage, many animals have some unique ways of protecting themselves from predators. Some animals use poison, while others use foul smelling secretions from scent glands to ward off the enemy. Then there are some creatures who squirt blood or quills at their predators or feign death when attacked.

Find out how different animals ‘play safe’ in the wild. You will be amazed at the tactics some animals use to protect themselves.

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How they play safe...

* Spiny echidna, a toothless mammal rolls itself into a ball when attacked by a predator. It protects itself with the spines along its body. Sometimes it hides in a crevice or if it’s in sandy soil, digs itself down very fast, virtually sinking into the ground.

* The opossum, a cat-sized, rat-like marsupial is famous for its habit of playing dead when surprised on the ground by an enemy. The term ‘ playing possum’ originates from this habit of this species of animal.

* The electric eel can emit an electrical discharge of 500 volts. The effect of a full discharge is strong enough to fell a mule and may be even put a human in hospital.

* Some species of mantids frighten off predators with the help of two rounded patches that resemble eyes, located on their forewings. The mantis spreads its wings and makes the predator think it’s being confronted by a bigger animal than what it initially seemed to be.

* Both the hedgehog and the porcupine which have sharp quills, like needles, roll into a ball when confronted by a predator. It becomes very difficult to attack them then.

* Like the opossum, the hognose snake too plays dead when in danger. It rolls on its back with its mouth wide open and stays still. If the enemy tries to turn it over, it would flip on to its back again like any dead snake would.

* The chuckwalla, one of the largest lizards in USA would crawl into a space between two rocks and puff itself up with air so that it cannot be pulled out by its enemy. If it’s caught by the tail, its tail breaks off and it escapes.

* The frilled lizard’s defence tactic is to make itself look bigger and scare its enemy. It does so by gulping in air, puffing up its body and popping up a frill just below its mouth.

Facts and pix: Internet