Animals. Masters Of Mimicry
Wildlife photographer Alex Hyde uses years of scientific training to reveal the mysterious world of creatures in hiding. He hopes to give people insight into the little known struggle of animals that rely on camouflage to survive.
1. A leaf-tailed gecko camouflaged on a mossy tree trunk in the rainforest of the Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar. 2. A teacher of biological photography at the University of Nottingham, Alex Hyde travelled to the rainforests of Madagascar to put his biological knowledge to the test. A long-spinnered bark spider camouflaged on tree bark where it waits to ambush passing prey in the tropical rainforest of the Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar 3. "I found it absolutely staggering to see how these creatures camouflage themselves so effectively," explained Alex. "The key to photographing them is to know where a creature is most likely to be at different times of day and under various conditions." A terrestrial frog camouflaged amongst leaf litter on the tropical rainforest floor in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar 4. "The leaf-tailed gecko perfectly mimics the tree bark on which it hides, not only in colour but also in the texture of its skin. If they weren't good at camouflage they would very quickly get gobbled up and be unable to pass on their genes to the next generation" 5. The battle for survival is made increasingly difficult as the forests of Madagascar are being cut down for their valuable hardwood timber. When the island off the coast of Africa was still pristine about 90% was covered in forest. Now only about 7 percent of the original forest cover remains on Madagascar. A platypelis grandis frog juvenile camouflaged against moss in Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar 6. Over half of Madagascar's forests have been lost in the last 50-60 years. Protected areas make up less than 2% of Madagascar's land area and much of the remaining forest is still at risk. A stump-tailed chameleon camouflaged amongst leaf litter on rainforest floor, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar 7. Alex is most passionate about his work in the UK. He teaches on the Biological Photography and Imagery MSc at the University of Nottingham. "The UK has a lot of interesting natural history on offer." A common blenny camouflaged in a rockpool on the Isle of Mull, Scotland 8. Malaysian Orchid Mantis camouflaged on an orchid where it waits to ambush its insect prey photographed in Alex's studio in Derbyshire 9. A lined leaf-tailed gecko camouflaged amongst dead palm fronds, hunting invertebrate prey at night. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar 10. "I think if people take the time to get down on their hands and knees and look in the undergrowth, they will be struck by how many different things are living down there." A brown mantella frog camouflaged in leaf litter, dry deciduous forest, Kirindy Forest, western Madagascar11. A sea scorpion camouflaged in a rockpool on the Isle of Skye, Scotland 12. A lined leaf-tailed gecko camouflaged amongst dead palm fronds hunting invertebrate prey at night. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar13. A violin mantis female showing excellent camouflage amongst dead leaves photographed in Alex's studio in Derbyshire 14. A peppered moth camouflaged on birch tree bark in Derbyshire, England.
