Giant pandas' iconic colors turn out to be good for something aside from looking cute

[Still Waters]

At first glance, the panda doesn't seem to have the same sort of camouflage protection as, say, some lizards or many underwater creatures – but a new study demonstrates how the colors of the giant panda's fur help it to blend into the background very effectively indeed.

While this isn't a completely new idea, it's the first time that the camouflage capabilities of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) have been put to the test in a series of advanced image analysis techniques, using rare photos of pandas in their natural habitat.

And it's when you see the animals in the mountain forests that they call home that you can really tell how effective the shades of their fur are at keeping them hidden from view – something that the image processing algorithms used here confirm.

https://www.sciencealert.com/the-panda-s-famous-colors-are-actually-a-very-effective-form-of-camouflage

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-00742-4

[Kittens Are Jerks]

This is really quite interesting. I would not have believed that giant pandas could blend into their natural environments until I saw the photos.