Chameleons are the superstars of camouflage These lizards can change colors How do chameleons do this They have layers of special colored cells under their clear outer skin When these cells expand or shrink the chameleon changes color Chameleons change color because of light and temperature They turn a lighter color by reflecting sunlight This helps their bodies cool down Chameleons turn a darker color to warm up by absorbing more sunlight Many animals use camouflage to blend in with their surroundings Then they can hunt food or avoid predators Chameleons change color to signal their moods A calm chameleon might be green while an angry one might turn red or yellow to warn others away Top males show off bright colors to attract females while shy males display dull colors such as gray Females turn bright colors to reject males However when they do not turn bright colors they are ready to accept males Chameleons respond to temperature and their surroundings by changing color CHAMELEONS BLEND INTO THEIR SURROUNDINGS 1 4
Chameleons live in Africa Asia India and Madagascar The tiny pygmy chameleon measures 0 9 inches 2 3 cm This chameleon fits on a fingertip The Parson’s chameleon grows up to 27 inches 69 cm long That is approximately the size of a cat THINK ABOUT IT What experiment would you design to learn how a chameleon changes color Decide what questions you want your experiment to answer Then list the steps you would take to gather answers 20 Amount of time in seconds it takes a chameleon to change colors Most hatchlings start out as a pastel shade of green Males are usually more colorful than females If you time it right you can actually watch a chameleon change colors A 360-DEGREE VIEW Chameleons can rotate their eyes separately Then they can look up and down at the same time Their eyes give them a 360-degree view all around their body This helps them find insects that they grab with their long tongues There are nearly 160 different species of chameleons 5
Coyotes are skilled at using clever tricks to capture prey These sly members of the dog family have thick fur that varies from grayish brown to yellowish gray This makes coyotes difficult to see against their natural surroundings Coyotes form family groups called packs The parents and pups can adjust easily to changes and new conditions They have expanded their range throughout North America Coyotes live in many habitats such as prairies deserts forests and mountains They have even moved into cities and suburban backyards Camouflage is one reason that coyotes have become successful predators Coyotes become nearly invisible by blending into their environment This helps them stalk small prey such as mice squirrels Coyotes fur color depends on their habitat COYOTES BECOME NEARLY INVISIBLE TO PREY 2 6
turkeys and rabbits They also use sharp vision and a strong sense of smell to find their meals Coyotes range in weight from 20 to 50 pounds 9 1 to 23 kg This is approximately the size of a medium dog However coyote tracks differ from those of dogs When they run coyotes place their back feet into the prints made by their front feet This helps them save energy 40 Speed in miles per hour 64 km h at which coyotes can run The US Army uses a camouflage color called Coyote Brown 498 Coyotes coats blend into a wide range of environments Coyotes living in the mountains have coats containing more shades of gray and black than those living in the desert COYOTE COMMUNICATION Coyotes sing in a nighttime chorus One long howl calls the pack together Then the pack celebrates by yipping and yelping Short barks warn pack members of danger and tell enemies to keep away Females use a high-pitched bark to call their pups Once they locate food coyotes pounce on their prey 7
