Why do some animals have camouflage?

Some animals have camouflage because it helps them stay alive long enough to eat, avoid being eaten, or have young. Over many generations, animals that were harder to notice often survived better. Their colors, patterns, and shapes became more common because being missed matters.

Camouflage can mean matching bark, sand, leaves, or shadow, but it can also mean copying a dangerous animal’s warning look. Some creatures change color quickly; others simply resemble a stick, stone, or leaf so closely that even careful eyes slide past.