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On September 17th, 1998 the Ithaca Journal ran its first "Ask A Scientist!" article in which Professor Neil Ashcroft , who was then the director of CCMR, answered the question "What is Jupiter made of?" Since then, we have received over 1,000 questions from students and adults from all over the world. Select questions are answered weekly and published in the Ithaca Journal and on our web site. "Ask A Scientist!" reaches more than 21,000 Central New York residents through the Ithaca Journal and countless others around the world throught the "Ask a Scientist!" web site.

Across disciplines and across the state, from Nobel Prize winning scientist David Lee to notable science education advocate Bill Nye, researchers and scientists have been called on to respond to these questions. For more than seven years, kids - and a few adults - have been submitting their queries to find out the answer to life's everyday questions.

Previous Week's Question Published: 14 June, 2000 Next Week's Question
Fawns' spots act as camouflage
Question
Why do baby fawns have spots?

Question
The speckled coats of young deer usually blend well with the spots of light that filter through the leaves to the forest floor and unless the fawn moves, it is not easily seen. When danger approaches, fawns freeze in place, remaining motionless for many minutes. Predators, such as coyotes or wolves, may attempt to catch fawns soon after birth when they cannot easily run to escape.

This camouflage pattern of spotted fur is used for concealment by other animals. For example, the large blotches of dark color on a giraffe allow it to blend in with the light and shadows in the forest. Predators such as leopards also use their spots to remain hidden while stalking or waiting for prey to approach.

In addition to protective coloration, deer less than a week old apparently give off little scent, and dogs have been observed jumping over fawns without detecting them. The combination of spotted fur, lack of scent and the ability to remain still, help fawns survive their first few weeks of life.

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