Kan Dail
Beauty comes in all forms in the animal world. Stripes, patterns, bands, dots, colors, and Spots! Nature has bestowed some animals with its precious marks in the form of bold but beautiful patterns, and course spots. Various hypotheses have been suggested to provide a reason as to why some animals have spots on their bodies. Whether it is to repel insects, to provide camouflage or optical illusion, to confuse predators, to reduce body temperature, or to help the animals recognize each other- spots have always been an interesting and attractive feature of some animals. Below we discuss the top 10 animals with spots that are beautiful enough to take your heart away. Check them out.
Animals with Spots
1. Leopard
You must have heard about the saying “a leopard never changes its spots “, means that one can’t change their character, even if they will try very hard. The leopard is a great spotted cat. The spots on leopards are called rosettes. They are jagged black circles resembling roses that are smaller and grouped closer together. They camouflage the leopards in the forests as they move through the foliage of their habitats. The leopard occurs widely in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. It also listed as one of the endangered land mammals.
2. Cheetah
Cheetahs are the fastest land animals. They have spotted while leopards have rosettes. Cheetah spots are clear, single, black spots on its furry body. The spotted coat of the cheetah helps it to blend into its surroundings. This makes it easier to stalk and hunt its prey. Cheetahs can have approximately 2 000 spots on their body. Each cheetah has a distinct pattern of spots. This can be used to uniquely identify individuals.
3. Giraffe
A Giraffe is the tallest animal on the land. A giraffe’s spots are much like human fingerprints. No two individual giraffes have the same pattern. The spots help the giraffe to camouflage, but they also help regulate body temperature and enable giraffes to recognize each other. Below each patch lies a very sophisticated system of blood vessels. Research has been conducted to show that the colour of a male giraffe’s spots may reveal insights into its behaviour.
Also Read: Top 10 Facts about Giraffes
4. Jaguar
Jaguars are large cats found in North, Central and South America. At first glance, anyone can easily make the mistake of confusing the jaguars with leopards. Both are identified by their yellow or orange coats that have dark spots. A jaguar’s body also has the spots in a rosette pattern. Both jaguars and leopards have coats that feature rosette patterns. The difference lies in the fact that the jaguar’s rosettes have spots inside them.
5. Dalmatians
This is one of the most popular breeds of dogs. Dalmatians are medium-sized dogs, noted for their unique black-spotted white coat. It has a white coat spotted with black or brown markings. Historically, Dalmatians have been used as a carriage dog. This breed is very active and can run as fast as horses. Every Dalmatian is different and has these marks all over its body. If you open up a Dalmatian’s mouth, you can even find spots in their mouth!
6. Spotted Snakes
There are several spotted varieties of snakes all over the world. The Red-Spotted Pit Viper is a venomous snake native to Asia. The Spotted House snake, or the Lamprophis guttatus, found in parts of East South Africa, has unique patterning on its body. It has a slender body, with round spots, which are dark brown on a body which is a creamy white to light brown. The Spotted Black Snake, found in coastal areas of south-eastern Queensland and New South Wales, has a variable colour pattern. The back is black, dark grey or, light brown and sometimes has light bands or blotches.
7. Chital or Spotted Deer
The Chital is also known as the Axis deer. It is a species of spotted deer that is native to the Indian subcontinent. The upper golden-brown body of these beautiful deer is completely covered in white spots. The abdomen and the insides of legs, ears, and tail are all white. The male chitals have a beautiful pair of antlers as well.
8. Spotted Hyena
Spotted hyenas are the largest of three hyena species. Every hyena has a unique spot pattern. Some hyenas have short, blond fur with large dark spots. Others have fluffy, reddish fur with fuzzy spots. These beasts are skilled hunters that will take down wildebeest or antelope. They are scavengers that feed on the leftovers of other predators. Spotted hyenas have good hearing and sharp night sight. They are fast and long-distance runners.
9. Holstein Friesian Cow
Holstein Friesian cows are the black-and-white dairy cows. They are a breed of dairy cattle originating from North Holland and Friesland; these beautiful spotted cows are the world’s highest production dairy animals. These cows have a white coat with distinct and big black patches. No two cows have exactly the same pattern of spots, much like human fingerprints. Research has shown that their color is a result of recessive genetics.
Image Source: Wikimedia
10. Appaloosa-Spotted Horse
Ever heard of a spotted horse? The Appaloosa is one such breed of horse with a spotted white coat. The Appaloosa horse breed is native to America and is known for its spotted coat pattern. The different breeds of this horse support a wide range of body types. The horse species are crossbred to generate multiple breeds of horses. The Appaloosa has a distinct, spotted coat like a leopard, which is preferred in the breed. Spotting occurs in several overlay patterns. This horse comes in several recognized base coat colors. The Appaloosa horse has several breeds of different body types, but all with spots. They are used in several riding disciplines like show jumping, fox hunting, and horse racing.
Image Source: Wikimedia
These are some of the beautiful animals with spots that are unique creations of nature. All of them have spots, but the shape, size, and patterns are amazingly different. Their spotted coats give them a distinguishable identity and at the same time, camouflage and protect them from enemies.