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Camouflage & Defense Mechanisms
Camouflage & Defense Mechanisms
Camouflage is method of concealing oneself by making itself appear as part of its natural surroundings. Its extremely important for an animal to camouflage itself in order to survive to give birth to the next generation. If camouflaging didn't occur accordingly, the species dependent on camouflage would quickly succumb to its predators choice of food without having any alternative. In such situations the organism adopts either a good camouflage or a good defense posture.
Based on our observations, several species of large and small animals could be taken into consideration. Its important to note that each individual species have adapted its own unique survival strategy to cope with the pressures of predation.
Camouflage develops independently depending on the biology and behavior of the species. For example, an animal with fur will develop a unique camouflage than an animal with scales. Species that swim in large schools underwater will develop unique camouflages than one that swings alone through the trees.
An animal's environment is often the most important factor in what the camouflage looks like. The simplest camouflage technique is for an animal to match the "background" of its surroundings. In this case, the various elements of the natural habitat may be referred to as the model for the camouflage.
Since the ultimate goal of camouflage is to hide from other animals, the physiology and behavior of predator vs prey is highly significant. Wildlife will not develop any camouflage that does not help it survive, so not all wildlife blend in with their environment the same way. For example, there's no point in an animal replicating the color of its surroundings if its main predator is color-blind.
Zebra
Green Tree Viper
Hump Nose Viper
Ostrich
Cassowary
Emu
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Equidae
Genus: Equus
Zebras are best known for their distinctive white and black stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals and can be seen in small groups or large herds.
Most zoologists believe that the stripes act as camouflage. They believe the vertical striping helps the zebra hide in grass. This may appear as absurd to us humans, considering that grass is neither white nor black. In fact they are the most prominent animal on the Savannah. However it's supposed to be effective against Lions, who are considered to be color blind. Its believed that zebras standing still in tall grass may appear invisible to Lions. Its also believed that the stripes of a herd of zebras may help to confuse predators.
For example: herd of zebras standing or moving close together may appear as one large animal, making it more difficult for the lion to pick out any single zebra to attack. A herd of zebras scattering to avoid a predator will also represent to that predator a confused mass of vertical stripes traveling in multiple directions thus effectively confusing the predator. However biologists have never observed lions appearing confused by zebra stripes.
Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Aves
Superorder: Paleognathae
Order: Struthioniformes
Family: Struthionidae
Genus: Struthio
Species: Struthio camelus
The ostrich is a large flightless bird native to Africa. Ostriches belong to the same order as Emu, kiwis, and other ratites. It is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs and holds the fastest land speed for any bird. The ostrich is the largest living species of bird and lays the largest egg of any bird species.
The diet of the ostrich mainly consists of plant matter, though it also eats insects. They are mostly nomadic groups preferring to stay in the semi-arid zones of Africa.
When threatened, the ostrich will either hide itself by lying flat against the ground, or will run away. As the female feathers are dusty gray, they are capable of camouflaging themselves against the dusty terrain thus giving them an appearance of a shrub. If cornered, it can cause injury and death with a kick from its powerful legs. Each leg consists of 2 digits which are capable of delivering powerful kicks for defense. The beak is designed for eating seeds and grass.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Hypnale
Species: Hypnale hypnale
(Humpnose Viper)
This Viper grows to an average length of 0.5 meter and is considered dangerous. Like all Viperids, the bite from a Humpnose is medically significant and required due treatment. Humpnose vipers occur in dense jungles, dry forests, rain forests, both in low and hilly country, and in plantations. They are sometimes found near human habitations and pose a serious health risk.
Its main camouflage is the color and pattern on its scales which resemble dead and decaying leaves. Although the camouflage offers no direct protection for the Viper, the color patterns makes it less prominent to be detected by its prey. Once the prey animal is within striking range, the Viper strikes forward with fangs pointing directly at the prey. Once venom is injected, the prey has zero chance of survival.
These vipers are mostly nocturnal, but are often seen coiled in the shade during the day, moving around under low light conditions. As the scales of the Viper resembled leaf litter, its more difficult to detect even by human standards. They are generally inoffensive, both in the wild and in captivity, rarely attempting to bite unless restrained or injured.
Their diet includes lizards, snakes, frogs, reptile eggs and small mammals. Their primary defense mechanism is their venomous bite which yields fatal quantities of venom..
Ostrich feet can be used as defense when cornered.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Trimeresurus
Species: Trimeresurus trigonocephalus
The green tree viper has a unique camouflage adapted to blend into the green foliage of trees, which make it leterally invisible to small prey items. Its primary diet consists of frogs, lizards and rodents.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Struthioniformes
Family: Casuariidae
Genus: Casuarius
Species: Casuarius casuarius
The Cassowary belongs to the genus Casuarius and is the largest flightless bird in Australia and New Guinea. They can grow as tall as 2meters and weigh as much as 50kg.
They mainly eat fallen fruit or fruit on low branches, however they will resort to an omnivorous diet preferring to eat fungi, snails, insects, frogs, snakes and other small animals when food is scarce.
Cassowaries (from the Indonesian name kasuari) are part of the ratite group, which also includes the emu, rhea, ostrich and kiwi.
The shinny black feathers blends with the undergrowth of the forests making it difficult to spot. As sunshine seeps through the canopy causing shadows in the underbrush, cassowaries seek shelter amongst the shadows effectively camouflaging themselves.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Struthioniformes
Family: Casuariidae
Genus: Dromaius
Species: Dromaius novaehollandiae
The Emu is the largest bird native to Australia and the only existing member of the genus Dromaius. It is also the largest flightless bird in the world by height, only second to the ostrich. Its feathered are soft and brown, while the bird itself may reach 2 meters in height.
The Emu is common over most of mainland Australia, although it avoids heavily populated areas, dense forest and arid areas. As Emus are primarily nomadic they are often seen traveling vast distances to obtain food. Emu's are primarily herbivorous eating grass and fruits, however they occasionally resort to omnivorous feeding habits preferring worms and insects.
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