Many animals in the Arctic and Antarctic Circles have fur, feathers, or skin that blends in with the landscape. For some, this helps them hide from predators. For others, it helps them stalk their prey!

image: a penguin
image: an arctic fox
image: seals
image: a polar bear
image: a caribou
image: penguins
Photograph by George Mobley


While on land the penguin's black-and-white coat does not appear to be designed for camouflage. However, while in the water, their white bellies blend in to the brightness of the sky, hiding them from predators below, and their dark backs blend into the darkness of the water, masking them from above.


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