Book Description

Discover nature’s most colourful creatures in a major new book on colour in the animal kingdom. For many animals use of colour is essential to surviving in the wild. Both a built-in defence mechanism and a cunning tactic for attack, this biological advantage helps animals hide from dangerous predators and catch unsuspecting prey. It is used in many different ways, primarily to mask one’s identity, movement or location, and changes over time as animals evolve and adapt to live. This stunning photographic collection reveals 100 creatures from around the world paired with fascinating insights from leading UK zoology author Steve Parker. Each animal will have a profile of 300 words paired with striking photographic examples featuring a wealth of colour and ingenious uses of colour for display or disguise. Learn how: The octopus can change its opacity, colour and pattern in response to threats. The walking leaf insect has evolved a strikingly similar shape and colour to the leaves it eats. The arctic fox changes its fur colour to white in the winter, perfectly blending in with the snow – but climate change is disrupting this age-old adaptation. This study of some of the most innovative uses of colour by animals, packed with beautiful photography and fascinating insights, will delight all lovers of the natural world.