Animals use concealing coloration as a form of protection in order to disguise their location or identity and guard against their predators. This can take many forms. One type is background matching, where the prey takes on colours and textures which allow them to visually resemble their surroundings and blend with the environment. Chameleons, for example, can change their skin colour by exploiting chromatophores, the pigment and light-reflecting cells which produce skin colour, in order to match the background.
Batesian mimicry is the term given to describe the process whereby animals mimic a threatening or inedible species. This can be achieved through changes in appearance, behaviour, sound or scent, thus enabling the animals to give deceptive information about their identity. In this way animals avoid being preyed upon. Conversely, predators use aggressive resemblance—they appear to be harmless and so are able to lure their prey. Think of the mantis flower with its orchid-like appearance or a leopard lying in tall grass.
Animals' ability to blend into the background was imitated in a military context as a means of disguising soldiers and equipment; they were camouflaged so as not to be recognized by the enemy. Indeed the word itself, from the French word camoufler, meaning 'to disguise', was first introduced into the English language during World War I. The concept of camouflage was further extended to include the supply of incorrect information intended to confuse the enemy, for example, decoys were used to distract attention in the wrong direction. In these examples, we can clearly see how humankind has learnt from the animal world.