Natural Bling: 6 Amazing Animals That Decorate Themselves
In the wild, plenty of animals dress for success, mostly to camouflage themselves against predators, a new study says.
Move over, Lady Gaga—in the wild, plenty of animals are natural accessorizers.
Self-decorating is common several diverse animal groups, such as crabs, insects, and birds—"but perhaps for different reasons," says Martin Stevens, an ecologist at the U.K.'s University of Exeter.
In a recent study, Stevens and colleague Graeme Ruxton reviewed literature on animals that adorn themselves—like the decorator crab—and discovered that bling may serve a variety of functions, from camouflage to communication.
"The most common reason to decorate is to avoid predators," said Stevens, whose study was published June 3 in the journal Royal Society Biology Letters.
Others include protection from sunlight and "cosmetics" to appear more attractive to mates.
Take a look at some of nature's best-dressed animals. (Also
