In this astonishing book, legendary wildlife photographer Art Wolfe
turns to one of nature's most fundamental survival techniques: the
vanishing act. His portraits show animals and insects disappearing into
their surroundings, using deceptions, disguises, lures, and decoys to
confuse the eyes of both predator and prey. In a world where nothing is
as it appears to be, a lion blends into the tall grass in the
late-afternoon sun, or a harp seal disappears against his snowy
backdrop. Pastel orchids can suddenly morph into predatory praying
mantises, while lizard heads become tails. What at first appears to be a
torn and decomposing leaf on a forest floor in Peru suddenly sprouts
legs and starts walking: it is a leaf-mimic katydid. Spotting each
cryptic animal amid Wolfe's clever compositions is both a fun and an
informative challenge. At a time when many species are performing
permanent vanishing acts due to habitat loss and human encroachment,
this book showcases the beauty and evolutionary extremes of animal
behavior and artfully illustrates the tenacious will to stay alive in an
eat-or-be-eaten world.