Animals that use concealing coloration are animals with fur colorings that resemble the colors of their environments. This may include solid color fur coats, multicolored in areas that contain multicolored landscapes or color changing animals that actually take on the color of their environment. Examples of animals that use this technique are polar bears with white fur that conceals them in areas where snow is commonplace or chameleon reptiles that can change the color of its scales in a few moments to conceal itself against an environment.
Disruptive coloration is a technique designed not to conceal the presence of a creature but to disguise its outline. Disruptive coloration allows some animals to run in packs and conceal their individual outlines against the outline of the larger group. Alternately, some predators use this technique to hide in tall grass or in the trees, appearing less threatening or not seen at all because of the disruptive pattern in their furs. Zebras, lions and many predatory cats all use this technique to hide their individual shape.
Disguise camouflage allows animals to appear as something else entirely for the purpose of concealment. This includes appearing as things a predator might otherwise find in the same environment. Animals that disguise themselves as other objects are difficult to spot and may go completely unnoticed in its environment. Animals who use this technique include walking stick bugs, that can disguise themselves as a twig or piece of wood. Effective disguise camouflage requires that animals who practice this technique have specific body shapes that can blend and seem like natural parts of the world.
Mimicry is the process of appearing as a less appetizing creature. The most common form of mimicry camouflage occurs when butterflies appear to be less appetizing butterflies, such as the Viceroy butterfly appearing as a Monarch butterfly because the Monarch butterfly is a less preferable food option. Mimicry camouflage is most effective at longer ranges or when predators do not use their sense of smell to determine the real species of an animal.