Blending in: Animals that are masters of camouflage

This green tree frog has taken a seat in a canna plant. With a little luck, no predator will discover him here. Many of these amphibians, mainly native to the southeastern United States, are only a couple of centimeters long and make tasty appetizers for snakes, lizards and birds.

Animals that lay their eggs in nests on the ground run the risk of losing them to predators. To protect their roost, golden plovers do not rely solely on their eggs’ camouflage. If an enemy comes close, one of the birds will draw attention to itself and lure the intruder away.

What can be seen swimming off the coasts of Western and Southern Australia is not a plant, but a "sea dragon." These animals grow up to 35 centimeters long and, among kelp, are hardly recognizable as animals. Their color varies depending on the depth of the water; the deeper they live, the darker they are.

Woe to the animal that gets too close to this Mississippi alligator covered in duckweed. Although adults can weigh up to 450 kilograms, they are able to move at lightning speed. Mississippi alligators live in wetlands, lakes and slow-moving waters across the southeastern United States.

It’s hard to tell where the canine ends and the carpet begins. This fluffy four-legged dog is a male Coton de Tuléar. The breed with cottony-soft fur originates from Madagascar, where it is said to have been favored by royalty. The small dogs are particularly friendly and playful.

Hardly distinguishable from its home is the dwarf seahorse Hippocampus bargibanti, found in the Western Pacific. The creatures, which are about two centimeters long, live in small groups on gorgonian corals, whose color they take on. They were discovered in 1969 by scientist Georges Bargibant while collecting corals.

If a screech owl remains motionless, it is almost invisible on the bark of a tree. About 25 species of these medium-sized birds inhabit the Americas. At dusk and at night, they prey on insects, lizards, frogs and other small animals. But these owls do not actually screech. Their calls are more like warbles or hoots, depending on the species.

Unsurprisingly, this insect found in the Philippines, the Phyllium philippinicum, is also known as a walking leaf. During the day they sit quietly on the plant they call home, which they also happen to strongly resemble. At night the males leave the security of this disguise and swarm out in search of a mate.

Read more: How to find the right pet for you

Read more: Can a swan break your arm?

Keep up with the top stories from Reader's Digest by subscribing to our weekly newsletter