ANIMAL PROGRAMS
Living Art By Donna Bear, Curator of Species Management
Green and Black Poison Dart Frog located in Range of the Jaguar. Photo: Cayle Pearson, Assistant Curator of Herps, Birds, and Others
Throughout nature insects, fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals, living art is represented by numerous species in an amazing fashion. The colors and patterns of a creature’s fur, feathers, and scales can represent any color in the rainbow—whether it is vibrant, or soft and muted. Art is not only about what is pleasing to the eye, but frequently there is a purpose for the hues and designs adorning animals. Various species utilize appearance adaptations. Scales, fur, or feathers, serve as camouflage for many creatures, blending them into their surroundings to hide them from predators or keep them from detection while awaiting their prey. Grevy’s zebra, for example, capitalize on their disruptive coloration. Sporting their contrasting striping, when they stand close to other zebras, it can confuse a would-be predator, making it difficult for the hunter to determine the outline of an individual.
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WILD MAGAZINE • SPRING 2021 • JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS
Grevy's Zebra. Photo: Kori Odum, Mammal Keeper
Atlantic stingrays self-decorate, burying in the sand appearing to become one with the ocean floor. The Henkel’s leaf-tailed gecko uses color matching and mimicry, with a tail that looks like foliage to blend in with branches and leaf litter and seems to disappear into its surroundings.
