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Article: Mix-in and match to survive in wild.(LIFE - SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- July 31, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Gabriella Boston, THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Some use stripes, others wear dull shades, and a third can change its colors on a dime. Animal camouflage comes in many varieties, but the goal is universal - to increase life expectancy.
"Basically, animal camouflage has evolved to increase the fitness of the individuals that possess [it]," says Gary Graves, a curator of birds at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. He holds a doctorate in biological science. "If you're hard to detect, you're more likely to survive."
A common form of camouflage is an animal's ability to match its surroundings, says Jim Parkhurst, associate ...