 Movement catches the eye of prey animals on the lookout for predators , and of predators hunting for prey . Most methods of crypsis therefore also require suitable cryptic behaviour , such as lying down and keeping still to avoid being detected , or in the case of stalking predators such as the tiger , moving with extreme stealth , both slowly and quietly , watching its prey for any sign they are aware of its presence . As an example of the combination of behaviours and other methods of crypsis involved , young giraffes seek cover , lie down , and keep still , often for hours until their mothers return ; their skin pattern blends with the pattern of the vegetation , while the chosen cover and lying position together hide the animals ' shadows . The flat @-@ tail horned lizard similarly relies on a combination of methods : it is adapted to lie flat in the open desert , relying on stillness , its cryptic coloration , and concealment of its shadow to avoid being noticed by predators . In the ocean , the leafy sea dragon sways mimetically , like the seaweeds amongst which it rests , as if rippled by wind or water currents . 
