January–February 2025
Young Naturalists
Now You See Me, Now You Don’t
Camouflage helps animals hide by using color and pattern to fool the eye.
C.B. Bylander
Have you ever wanted to disappear?
You know, just vanish when a teacher is about to call on you and you don’t know the answer.
That would be sweet, right? Sadly, not possible.
Yet in nature, animals blend into their surroundings all the time. For prey—animals that are eaten by other animals—being unseen is their best defense. For predators—those animals that do the eating—not being seen is a great way to sneak up on dinner.
Let’s learn how camouflage works and how Minnesota animals use it to disappear from sight.
