Vanishing Act: the artistry of animal camouflage

by Barbara Sleeper, Art Wolfe

In this revealing book of unconventional animal portraits, esteemed wildlife photographer Art Wolfe turns his lens on one of the animal kingdoms most fundamental survival techniques: camouflage. Wolfes carefully orchestrated portraits show animals disappearing into their surroundings through deceptions, disguises, lures, and decoys meant to confuse the eyes of predators, prey, and photographers alike. In a world where nothing is truly as it seems, a lion blends into the tall grass of the savannah in the late afternoon sun; a baby harp seal disappears against a snowy backdrop; and a mottled green chameleon clings to a moss-covered tree. Mimicking animals ability to hide in the wild, the photographs in Vanishing Act include pastel orchids that are actually praying mantises, tree branches that are really sleeping birds, and brightly-coloured corals that confess to being exotic fish after enough careful observation. At a time when many species are threatened by permanent disappearance due to habitat loss and human encroachment, Vanishing Act showcases the beauty of animals natural abilities to vanish, artfully illustrating the extreme they will go to in order to survive in an eat-or-be-eaten world.

224 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2015

About the author

Barbara Sleeper's career as a science writer has spanned more than thirty years, during which time she traveled to more than 80 countries to observe non-human primates, explore wildlife preserves, and learn first-hand about global conservation issues. She participated in field research projects in the rainforests of Malaysia, Peru, and Brazil studying monogamous primates.

Her more than 300 wildlife and travel articles have appeared in numerous national and international publications, including Audubon, Australian Natural History, Pacific Discovery, Anima, Das Tier, Life, Wildlife Art News, Travel & Leisure, Travel Holiday, and Ranger Rick. For fifteen years, Ms. Sleeper submitted articles as a contributing editor to Animals magazine, a role she also served at AirCal magazine.

Barbara co-founded Adventure Travel magazine and the American Adventures Association with Bob Citron in Seattle, Washington. She also served as president and vice-president of the Seattle Zoological Society.

Ms. Sleeper holds degrees in zoology and psychology from the University of Washington, where she earned her Master's degree studying mother-infant attachment, maternal behavior, and the effects of early infant daycare. Most recently, she was certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) through the Project Management Institute.

Barbara is the mother of three wonderful children, Kelly, David, and Josh. She resides in Bothell, Washington.

Reviews

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there was a 10 star rating here on Goodreads. What an astounding book! It was such fun to look through and try to spot the camouflaged animals. I was in awe of the variety of evolution, the remarkable devices genes have created in their slow inexorable way by which to be indiscernible in the landscape - over thousands, maybe tens of thousands of generations to the present.

Beyond that, though, if you have a child of appropriate disposition (not surly, cranky, disinterested in anything other than digital entertainment or electronica), I recommend this book as something with which to enthral, entrance and entertain them. And young children ... play spot the animal.

I'll be getting this book from the library again, to read more about each animal. I also fully expect to go running down Internet rabbit holes, next time, pursuing more info about some of the remarkable creatures and their adaptations.