Natural selection is a painfully slow process, but boy does it render some magnificent results! One of the greatest features employed by animals to hunt or dodge the predators is to camouflage themselves and look exactly like their surroundings in a virtually undetectable fashion. We see this trait most commonly in the likes of chameleons and insects who camouflage, but today you’ll see a full-size predator cat employing the same tactics in this mind blowing photo.
The leopards are masters of disguise who use their mild skin tone to spot and blend into their surroundings. Case in point the photograph below, where a leopard hides in Kenya’s Masai Mara natural park and is slowly heading towards its dinner.
The snap has been taken by German wildlife photographer Ingo Gerlach who was lucky and prudent enough to spot the magnificent beast in the first place.
Given up already?
This is the very definition of hiding in plain sight. See it yourself!
The leopard is virtually undetectable in the photograph even when we are looking for it. Just imagine how difficult it would be for the prey to detect and avoid such stealthy and dangerous predator. What a clever way it is!
The leopard just seems to be a darker piece of bark running up its tall trunk, but a closer inspection reveals that a leopard is infact hiding himself in the trunk texture like a pro!
Gerlach, 64, said:
‘The leopard was jumping up the tree to go and eat its meal. It’s a carcass of an impala that’s hanging from the tree.
‘The leopard was incredibly shy and I had to wait over five hours to take the picture. I was lucky to spot the leopard in the first place, and then even more so to catch it going up the tree.
‘Camouflage is extremely important for the leopard. When they go hunting, it helps them to stay hidden so their prey – be it gazelles, antelopes, or indeed impalas – only see them very late.’
There is a host of animals in nature that employ similar tactics in the wild to keep the cycle of life going. Watch the video below to see some of the nature’s best-camouflaged animals!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJGtN-igCu8
Have you witnessed any camouflaged animal ever in your life? Share your views and experiences in the comments section below.