Why different animals have different coloured skin covering?

Why different animals have different coloured skin covering?

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

        

         There are many reasons why different animals have different colour of their skin. 

              Hiding is one of the main reasons. The wild animals have colour, pattern, shape, etc. matching to the natural environments in which they live. Those living in grass are green while those dwelling in holes or the earth are brown coloured. Thus, they cannot be easily detected. The black and white stripes of zebra blend together and their proportion exactly matches the pale tints produced by moonlight in arid land. The colouring of the lion exactly matches the sandy grass-lands in which it roams. Cryptic colouring is very useful to animals in their struggle for existence.

       

 Sometimes the colouring of the animals is aided by special modifications of shape, etc. The animal is mistaken for some well known object. This is what happens in the case of insects which resemble pieces of straw, or in case of butterflies which fold their wings so as to look exactly like dry leaves.

      The colouring is utilized offensive purposes. When animals approaches to attack other animal, their skin colouring akin to surrounding help them and their victim cannot recognize them easily and thus their intention remains unnoticed and help to achieve success.

        

Another type of protective colouring is mimicry. In this case the animal resembles some other animal which is specially disliked by its enemy. So skin colouring is used by animals for both defensive and offensive purpose. The nature has bestowed this covering for their survival apart from their identity and beauty.