15 Things That Matched Their Surroundings So Well, They Made People Do A Double Take

If you think that you’ll ever encounter camouflage on the battlefield or deep in the jungle, you might not be quite right. There are plenty of optical illusions far closer to home. And they don’t require ghillie suits. All it takes is the right angle and lighting, and an animal, object, or person can blend right into their surroundings with near perfection.

Our team here at Bored Panda has traveled to the farthest reaches of the internet to compile this list of fantastic photos of accidental camouflage. They’re bound to make you do a double-take! Grab your binoculars, scroll down, and make sure to upvote your fave pics.

15 PHOTOS

#1 I Painted At My Favorite Stream Today. I Think It Blends In Pretty Well

#2 Mother With A Calf

#3 A Cat That Plays Too Many Stealth Games

The entire point of camouflage as a whole is to confuse the senses. People tend to rely very heavily on vision, so camouflage aims to hide someone or something with the help of fabric, paint, and patterns.

What colors and patterns end up being used on uniforms will depend a lot on the local terrain. For instance, shades of brown and yellow might be used in the desert, compared to browns and greens in wooded locales. Meanwhile, black, grey, and white will often be found on camo gear meant for snowy areas.

#4 My Brother Was Joking About How He Dresses Like A 5-Year-Old. Then He Found This

#5 I Didn't Think I'd Actually Lose In A Hide A Seek Game With My Nephew. Told Him To Pose For A Pic

#6 Blessed Persian Carpet

It’s not just people that use camouflage. It’s an integral part of survival in the animal kingdom. Broadly speaking, there are three main categories of camouflage. The first one is called background matching, where animals have colors and patterns that match their surroundings.

#7 This Is Aspen. She’s Visiting A Friend’s House For Dinner, But After Seeing The Rug She Thinks It’s Time To Leave. 13/10 Would Start The Car

#8 Just A Mat, Nothing More

#9 My Shirt Perfectly Camouflages Me In This Bed Of Flowers

With background matching, animals are harder for predators to spot. That means that they survive longer and can end up passing their genes down more effectively because they have more time to breed. Chameleons, for instance, are legendary for their ability to change their color to match their surroundings.

#10 My Handsome Boy Using Camouflage At The Vet

#11 I'm Waiting To Bloom

#12 Had No Idea My Wife Was Partly Dog

The second type of camo is known as disruptive coloration. It’s a tad sneakier. Essentially, it breaks up the outline of the animal’s body, making it more difficult for predators to home in on them.

One example of this would be how stripes work on a zebra’s fur. Some animals, however, go the route of mimicry, where they imitate another animal or an inanimate object. Stick insects, (obviously) look like sticks.

#13 Guy Learning To Snowboard

#14 Almost Sat On My Dog Accidentally

#15 Strangely Satisfying

However, nobody should think that camouflage somehow perfectly defends a person or an animal. That would be a huge mistake to make. It’s far better than nothing, but predators have evolved ways to spot their prey better.

Some animals might be able to see into different spectrums, for example. Meanwhile, leaps and bounds in technology mean that people are constantly finding new ways to find what others try to hide.