Researchers from the University of Bristol found that deer see the predator as green because they are colourblind. Instead of seeing tigers as humans do (right) they see a green blur instead (left). Tigers can hunt so successfully because their orange color makes them nearly invisible to their prey! How is it possible that tigers can look orange to us, but invisible to their prey? Let's explain.
A decade's worth of conservation efforts has not only increased the tiger population but shown how tigers and humans can coexist peacefully. But for ambush predators like tigers, the ability to remain invisible to their prey determines whether they catch dinner or go hungry. So, of all the colors they could be, why are tigers orange? Deer, boars, and other ungulates that constitute tigers' favorite prey, are, like most mammals, dichromats, which means they only have two types of functioning color receptors in their eyes.
For this reason, they are actually red-green blind, which makes it almost impossible for them to distinguish between green tones and red. Their conclusion was that provided the prey animal cannot tell the difference between green and orange, there isn't a need for the predator to develop a green coat to blend into the forest. The Science and Artistry Behind Tiger's Distinctive Coat Orange is the most common color for tigers, with varying depths among different subspecies.
The tiger, for example, does not appear orange to its prey but green and thus has the perfect camouflage in the dense jungle. But how can this be? Many Mammals Only See Two Colors Most mammals - and tigers themselves - perceive fewer colors than humans. We have three color receptors, also known as cones, in our retina.
Their primary prey, such as deer and boars, are also dichromats and perceive the tiger's orange coloration as shades of green or muted tones. This visual characteristic allows the tiger to blend seamlessly into its natural environment, like dense foliage, making its distinctive coat an effective form of camouflage to its prey. Tigers are known for their astonishing visionary power for hunting animals and prey.
With the brightest eyesight, they can also perceive a wide range of colors. Some may anticipate tigers are color blind. But in reality, tigers have cons as light receptive cells in their eyes that they use for their color.
Why Orange is Invisible to Tiger Prey For animals with dichromatic vision, the color orange appears as a dull, greenish. The tiger's orange coat is a deadly illusion that tricks its prey into seeing nothing at all. Tigers may be the last thing you expect to be invisible, but to their prey, these massive predators.