Animal Color Change: An Unsolved Mystery
Scientists are puzzled by the sudden change in coat color of a female Iberian lynx, known as Satureja, in the Spanish province of Jaén.
While some animals, such as chameleons, octopuses, cuttlefish, and snowshoe hares, are known to change color naturally, Satureja's loss of her natural brown and orange tones is a surprise.
She has retained the black spots unique to each lynx, which serve as a kind of natural identification.
- The reason for this change is unknown.
- Another lynx had previously exhibited similar color change.
- Scientists call for more research to understand the role of environmental factors, such as exposure to chemicals, in these anomalies.
No one knows the reason for this striking change in coat color.
Author's summary: Animals mysteriously change color.