Animals are nearly impossible to see thanks to their incredible camouflage 

These impressive animals have managed to blend into their natural habitats so well that they’re almost impossible to spot. 

From crocodiles in dark green waters to owls camouflaged by tree bark and leopards lying flat on textured terrain, there’s more than just good eye sight needed to notice these animals. 

It may appear as though they’re playing hide and seek but to these animals there’s a good reason why they want to stay hidden.

It is by camouflaging themselves effectively that these animals gain an advantage over their prey or avoid predators.

A giraffe, in the right of the picture, vertically camouflaged by the shape and colour of the surrounding vegetation in Transvaal 

A leopard concealed in vegetation at the right of the base of a tree in Kruger National Park, Transvaal, South Africa

A leopard concealed in vegetation at the right of the base of a tree in Kruger National Park, Transvaal, South Africa

Only a crocodile's sinister eyes poking out betray its location in dark green water in Thailand 

Only a crocodile’s sinister eyes poking out betray its location in dark green water in Thailand 

A grouse is camouflaged by its grey and white feathers among the the rocks just to the right of centre in this photo

A grouse is camouflaged by its grey and white feathers among the the rocks just to the right of centre in this photo

A long-spined sea scorpion blends into some jewel anemone to conceal itself in the sea 

A long-spined sea scorpion blends into some jewel anemone to conceal itself in the sea 

A Peringueys adder uses its life brown skin to camouflage itself and is almost impossible to detect in the sand. You can see its eyes in the centre of the photo

A Peringueys adder uses its life brown skin to camouflage itself and is almost impossible to detect in the sand. You can see its eyes in the centre of the photo

A horned viper performs a similar trick, camouflaging itself in the sand with just its head and tail poking out 

A horned viper performs a similar trick, camouflaging itself in the sand with just its head and tail poking out 

It's not just creatures in the wild that can camouflage themselves. In this picture, Marley the dog is camouflaged against the rug

It’s not just creatures in the wild that can camouflage themselves. In this picture, Marley the dog is camouflaged against the rug

A stump-tailed chameleon pokes its head out from a camouflaged position on the forest floor of Madagascar

A stump-tailed chameleon pokes its head out from a camouflaged position on the forest floor of Madagascar

A giant leaf ailed gecko blends in perfectly with a tree in this picture taken in Nosy Mangabe, Madagascar

A giant leaf ailed gecko blends in perfectly with a tree in this picture taken in Nosy Mangabe, Madagascar

An owl hides itself in the middle of a tree, showing how creatures in the wild can blend themselves in with their surroundings 

An owl hides itself in the middle of a tree, showing how creatures in the wild can blend themselves in with their surroundings 

A green Parsons Chameleon sitting on a leaf in Andasibe, Madagascar, using its green skin to camouflage itself on a leaf

A green Parsons Chameleon sitting on a leaf in Andasibe, Madagascar, using its green skin to camouflage itself on a leaf

A leopard spreads itself down a tree in South Africa using its spots as camouflage 

A leopard spreads itself down a tree in South Africa using its spots as camouflage 

A Pygmy Seahorse expertly blends itself into its surroundings. The sea creatures are both tiny and beautifully camouflaged 

A Pygmy Seahorse expertly blends itself into its surroundings. The sea creatures are both tiny and beautifully camouflaged 

This giant leaf-tailed gecko uses the green of the tree to perfectly camouflage itself in another picture taken on Madagascar

This giant leaf-tailed gecko uses the green of the tree to perfectly camouflage itself in another picture taken on Madagascar

Can you spot the snow leopard? The cleverly concealed cat is about half way up and just to the left of the rock

Can you spot the snow leopard? The cleverly concealed cat is about half way up and just to the left of the rock

 



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