Color, pattern, texture, shape, and size are all things animals use to camouflage themselves. A polar bear uses color for camouflage in the snow, and a stone fish uses color and texture for camouflage in a coral reef. Camouflage can be used both to defend and to attack. If you're a predator, you can use it to sneak up on your prey. If you're the prey, you can use it to avoid being seen by the predator.
Most animals can hide in only one set of surroundings.
But some animals, such as the chameleon, can actually change the way they look to match many different sets of surroundings. For example, the chameleon changes its color to help it hide on brown tree bark or in green leaves. Click here for books about camouflage .