If you think that you’ll ever encounter camouflage on the battlefield or deep in the jungle, you might not be quite right. There are plenty of optical illusions far closer to home. And they don’t require ghillie suits. All it takes is the right angle and lighting, and an animal, object, or person can blend right into their surroundings with near perfection.

Our team here at Bored Panda has traveled to the farthest reaches of the internet to compile this list of fantastic photos of accidental camouflage. They’re bound to make you do a double-take! Grab your binoculars, scroll down, and make sure to upvote your fave pics.

#1 Mother With A Calf

Image credits: leo_pfffr

#2 I Painted At My Favorite Stream Today. I Think It Blends In Pretty Well

Image credits: bunkerbash

#3 A Cat That Plays Too Many Stealth Games

Image credits: reddit.com

The entire point of camouflage as a whole is to confuse the senses. People tend to rely very heavily on vision, so camouflage aims to hide someone or something with the help of fabric, paint, and patterns.

What colors and patterns end up being used on uniforms will depend a lot on the local terrain. For instance, shades of brown and yellow might be used in the desert, compared to browns and greens in wooded locales. Meanwhile, black, grey, and white will often be found on camo gear meant for snowy areas.

#4 My Handsome Boy Using Camouflage At The Vet

Image credits: catjesuslol

#5 I’m Waiting To Bloom

Image credits: PerspectiveFriendly

#6 Guy Learning To Snowboard

Image credits: DomTrapGFurryLolicon

It’s not just people that use camouflage. It’s an integral part of survival in the animal kingdom. Broadly speaking, there are three main categories of camouflage. The first one is called background matching, where animals have colors and patterns that match their surroundings.

#7 Had No Idea My Wife Was Partly Dog

Image credits: mepfeiff

#8 Just A Mat, Nothing More

Image credits: urkelnsfw

#9 Tricky One

Image credits: sharpdressedcrayon

With background matching, animals are harder for predators to spot. That means that they survive longer and can end up passing their genes down more effectively because they have more time to breed. Chameleons, for instance, are legendary for their ability to change their color to match their surroundings.

#10 This Levitating Dirt Bike

Image credits: mickeyslim

#11 Blessed Persian Carpet

Image credits: banfora

#12 A Very Hairy Wedding Dress

Image credits: VisDev82

The second type of camo is known as disruptive coloration. It’s a tad sneakier. Essentially, it breaks up the outline of the animal’s body, making it more difficult for predators to home in on them.

One example of this would be how stripes work on a zebra’s fur. Some animals, however, go the route of mimicry, where they imitate another animal or an inanimate object. Stick insects, (obviously) look like sticks.

#13 My Friend’s Outfit Exactly Matched My Coffee Cup Today

Image credits: Brentusfirmus

#14 Strangely Satisfying

Image credits: Hormander

#15 The Truck In Front Of Us Lined Up Perfectly With The Mountains

Image credits: SugmaDoink

However, nobody should think that camouflage somehow perfectly defends a person or an animal. That would be a huge mistake to make. It’s far better than nothing, but predators have evolved ways to spot their prey better.

Some animals might be able to see into different spectrums, for example. Meanwhile, leaps and bounds in technology mean that people are constantly finding new ways to find what others try to hide.

#16 Sheer Coincidence

Image credits: Khapoya

#17 This Is Aspen. She’s Visiting A Friend’s House For Dinner, But After Seeing The Rug She Thinks It’s Time To Leave. 13/10 Would Start The Car

Image credits: dog_rates

#18 I Didn’t Think I’d Actually Lose In A Hide A Seek Game With My Nephew. Told Him To Pose For A Pic

Image credits: NOCHNOY_

Some predators have camouflage of their own to make sneaking easier and their hunts more successful. Tigers blend in with the tall grass thanks to their stripes. Octopuses change their texture and color to match their surroundings, avoid predators, and hunt their prey.

Meanwhile, polar bears have white fur, meaning that they blend into the snowy background of the Arctic. Polar bears’ skin is actually black and their hairs are translucent, so they appear white because of how they reflect the light. 

#19 My Brother Was Joking About How He Dresses Like A 5-Year-Old. Then He Found This

Image credits: dm919

#20 I No Longer Have A Cat, Just Two Croissants

Image credits: _Gree

#21 My Shirt Perfectly Camouflages Me In This Bed Of Flowers

Image credits: sway_forth

Ultimately, animals that develop camouflage that isn’t useful for the environment that they’re in typically do not survive. On the flip side, the animals that better match their surroundings have a higher chance of surviving and breeding. Their offspring will look similar to them. Gradually, over many generations, the animals will match their environments better and better.

#22 Almost Sat On My Dog Accidentally

Image credits: Jk_dragonght

#23 I Tried To Take A Photo Of A Small Cat Whilst I Was About To Leave For My Doctor’s Appointment

Image credits: Crustynutbutter

#24 This Chair Leg Blends In Very Well

Image credits: toeofcamell

How animals will develop camo and what types of colors and patterns end up being passed on also heavily depend on the types of predators that hunt in the area. As ‘How Stuff Works’ points out, there wouldn’t be a point to animals replicating the color of their surroundings if their predators were colorblind. If new predators end up in the area, this would also disrupt how various local species develop their natural camo.

#25 Aligned Shoes’ And Escalator’ Stripes

Image credits: Xingua92

#26 This Lizard’s Perfect Tree Bark Camouflage

Image credits: asilvertintedrose

#27 A Snowy Owl And An Owl Made Of Snow

A huge issue is that due to climate change and rapid urbanization, the environments in which wildlife lives can change drastically. These changes might force some species to adapt quickly in order to survive in a landscape full of new colors, drastically changing how they look. It can also force species to migrate, creating new biospheres where camo that has served some animals for dozens if not hundreds of generations is no longer a viable strategy.

If you’d like to see some more photos of accidental camouflage, be sure to check out Bored Panda’s previous features once you’re done enjoying this post.

#28 My Poor Choice Of Dinner Attire

Image credits: walters89

#29 This Camouflaged Chair

Image credits: fartisfaction

#30 My Wife And I Were Quite Happy About Our New Rug Purchase. Sadly, Though, Our Dog Ran Away The Same Day

Image credits: madbaddangerous2know

#31 Bet You Can’t Tell Which One Is A Real Dog

Image credits: PoonSwoggle

#32 Office Camouflage

Image credits: winter_storm

#33 Pic My Husband Took Of Me Passing Him A Pencil

Image credits: kitschier

#34 My Face Mask Dried Unevenly And Now Matches My Sweatshirt

Image credits: Monsteradeliciosous

#35 These Chips Were Camouflaged On My Countertop

Image credits: radroman

#36 Accidentally Recreated My Kitchen Counter’s Pattern On A Plate While Seasoning A Burger

Image credits: Tiddleyjuggs

#37 She Was The Show

Image credits: TheSaih

#38 Every Time I Take My Glasses Off In Bed I Lose Them For A Minute

Image credits: lets-work-together

#39 My Dad Burnt A Pancake So Bad It Camouflages With The Black Pan

Image credits: sms42069

#40 My Dog’s Camouflage Game Is Spot On

Image credits: binarysmart

#41 My Girlfriend’s Cat That Blends Into His Bed

Image credits: Comfortable_Funny91

#42 Camouflage Really Helps When Fishing

Image credits: BenevolentDanton

#43 Just A Couch With Pillows

Image credits: ChicagoRex

#44 My Daughter’s Shirt At The Art Museum

Image credits: KingGizmotious

#45 Can You See Her? My Friend’s Dog In Her Bed

Image credits: namonroe

#46 I Found The Actual Cliff This Guy Is Climbing On

Image credits: tim_drozd

#47 The Void Has Such A Good Camouflage. So Many Potential Pounce Places

Image credits: Chippedforsafety

#48 Parent’s Dog On The Nearly Identical Rug

Image credits: Psydreus

#49 These Pants vs. The Gravel

Image credits: canusa101

#50 This Frog Blends In With The Concrete Bench It Is Sitting On

Image credits: scottsinct

#51 Little Nyko Is The Reason I Can’t Just Jump Into Bed Anymore Without Thoroughly Scanning The Blanket First

Image credits: moodymystik

#52 “Tablecloth”

Image credits: howstop8

#53 My Leggings Matched The Chair At The Vacation Rental

Image credits: EmeraldOwl11

#54 My Dog And Boyfriend’s Hair Match

Image credits: melflaelff

#55 A Lot Of Leopard Going On

Image credits: reddit.com

#56 How This Cracker Blends In With My Kitchen Worktop

Image credits: dial888

#57 My Leather Wallet Was Camouflaged With The Poker Table’s Arm Rest

Image credits: boysoyroy

#58 Time For An Afternoon Snooze

Image credits: twisty_mcfisty

#59 A Feral Kitty Sleeping In Our 50-Year-Old Tree Trunk

Image credits: bl4ck-lizard

#60 Big Stretch

Image credits: AikataUchiha

#61 The Way The Sky Reflected Off The Glass At Sunset Made The Balconies Look As Though They Were Floating

Image credits: Sure_K_Fine_Whatevs

#62 A Few Years Ago I Caught The Fog Blending Almost Seamlessly With The Water

Image credits: Kubikake

#63 Mayble Has Perfected The Art Of Camouflage

Image credits: PixelatedStitch

#64 This Guy’s “Safety Gear” Actually Camouflaged Him

Image credits: kirk-steele

#65 Went To The Grand Canyon A Few Weeks Ago. I Had Seen This Camper And Thought It Was Ironic, Didn’t Realize How Perfectly It Lined Up Until Today

Image credits: 560guy

#66 When You See It

Image credits: imgur.com

#67 The Fabric Of A Shirt At A Thrift Store Is The Same As My Scrunchie

Image credits: maddiepuppy31

#68 My Dog Is Really Well-Camouflaged On This Carpet

Image credits: RB9k

#69 I Made A Boston Subway Seat Matching Set

Image credits: passthegoldenbutter

#70 I Didn’t Know This Sweater Came In With A Chair

Image credits: SarahJulie18

#71 My Ceiling Fan Looks Like It’s Missing A Blade In The Right Lighting

Image credits: Flaky_Ad_7205

#72 Staying At A Hotel For A Wedding In Wisconsin, And My Friend’s Shirt Blends In With The Furniture

Image credits: Rocky4OnDVD

#73 Noticed This Ad In The Mail And Couldn’t Help But Notice A Similarity

Image credits: DiepSleep

#74 My Husband Ken Found A Mini Plastic Version Of Himself At HomeGoods

Image credits: mizzroberts

#75 The Insoles Of These Shoes Look Like This Tiled Floor

Image credits: reddit.com

#76 I Found Some Candles At Work Today That Matched My Nails

Image credits: Snurptastic

#77 We Found Neighboring Houses With The Same Colors As Our Jackets

Image credits: pantalooon

#78 Restoring The View

Image credits: Physics_Tim

#79 Liked That Coincidence

Image credits: madmina99

#80 My Wrap Is Camouflaged On The Bench

Image credits: averysadbunny

#81 The Sky’s And Sea’s Colors Blended In So Well Yesterday, That It Seemed Like They Had Become One

Image credits: uoll-n

#82 Just Looked Down At The Floor In My Hotel Room

Image credits: Garr52

#83 The Way Her Hair Blends In With The Grass

Image credits: augustostberg

#84 Not Sure What We Expected Wearing Plaid At A Canadian Bar

Image credits: Normal_Blueberry

#85 Splooting In The Cow Hide

Image credits: TheLegosaurus

#86 I Think He Likes The New Blanket. If He’s There

Image credits: d2740

#87 In The Subway Today

Image credits: raketentreibstoff

#88 Punter Walks In Like This The Day I Got New Menus Delivered

Image credits: LexGixxerRider

#89 Find The Backpack On The Jacket. Perfect Fit

Image credits: reddit.com

#90 I Lose The Remote At Some Point Every Single Day

Image credits: eelannalee

#91 Almost Couldn’t Find It

Image credits: xmastyme

#92 Just A QR Code

Image credits: FRDNSYH_

#93 This Toad Blends In Well With Our Front Step

Image credits: Highvolts

#94 Spent About 10 Minutes Looking For My Dad’s Dog

Image credits: Sherman_Beardman

#95 Can I Get $100 On “Christ That’s Lucky” Please Jim

Image credits: Starskeyhq

#96 This Pan Matches My Sink

Image credits: cosmyjtg

#97 My Dog Blending With The Floor

Image credits: SAVARD3435

#98 My Frenchie Disappeared, Help

Image credits: 1sTlm34N1lvSi0N

#99 My Socks On The Bathroom Rug

Image credits: sandbee2

#100 My Brother’s Dog Jake

Image credits: Swaisian1

#101 This Christmas Tree Has Legs

Image credits: dabason

#102 Nice Shirt Buddy

Image credits: winter0991

#103 First Time This Happened In The Newly-Remodeled Shower. I Was Immediately Upset

Image credits: KNOTwendy

#104 Nap Time Away From Her Litter. Love That She Feels Safe Enough To Relax On My Porch

Image credits: Lolli_R1

#105 Forbidden Giant Nature Valley Bar

Image credits: QuintoJinete

#106 My Shoes Blend In With A Public Bathroom Floor

Image credits: qyteria

#107 Lady On My Flight Wore Her Camouflage Shoes

Image credits: mritaki

#108 Looked Down And Realized That My Adidas Ultraboost Match The Carpet At Work

Image credits: mixtape82

#109 The Way This Ivy Blends With The Back Of This House (Hudson, NY)

Image credits: ratttttty

#110 I Slid My Shoes Off For A Second At Work Today And My Coworker Noticed That My Feet Vanished

Image credits: Local_Crow

#111 Poor Shirt Choice At A Mexican Restaurant

Image credits: -GinjaNinja-

#112 Okay But Where Is The Storage Bin?

Image credits: RonPalancik

#113 My Niece’s Shoes At A Beach Side Restaurant

Image credits: Strange-Act7264

#114 Camouflage Socks

Image credits: elansealybass

#115 Got A New Carpet And Lost My Wife’s Feet

Image credits: tonxsmash47

#116 Lost My T-Shirt On My Unmade Bed

Image credits: The_Weirdo_Beardo

#117 My Uber Driver And I Matched

Image credits: buterbetterbater

#118 My Girlfriend Thought She Lost Me At The Art Gallery Today

Image credits: Leuke

#119 My Girlfriend’s Pajamas Camouflage (Sort Of) With The Bed Sheets

Image credits: DadBangz

#120 When You See It

Image credits: Andreastheslimjim

#121 She Was The Show

#122 When You See It

#123 This Pan Matches My Sink

#124 Time For An Afternoon Snooze

Source: boredpanda.com