Now you see them, now you don’t

Nature can be pretty gaudy: birds flaunt their brilliant plumage or collect brightly coloured objects like the bowerbird. And as birds are visuallyoriented, they take careful note of the appearance of prospective mates before choosing a partner. Ladybirds or yellow-bellied toads use colour as a way to scare off their enemies. Their bright colours send the message: "You don't want to eat me, I taste awful!" Other animals are particularly well camouflaged despite their garish hue, and some can even change colour. Chameleons, for example, use this ability not only to render themselves invisible, but above all as a method of communication. In this extraordinary photo book, Martin Rasper examines the phenomenon of colour in the animal kingdom, explaining its various uses in individual chapters. Unique photographs, some as yet unpublished, from award-winning photographer Konrad Wothe reveal the animal world in all its glorious colour.