One of the most fascinating aspects of reindeer vision is their seasonally changing eye color. In summer, their tapetum lucidum - the reflective layer behind the retina - appears golden-yellow, similar to many other mammals. The seasonal eye color change in reindeer is unique among mammals, but plenty of other creatures display eye adaptations for different light environments.
For instance, cats and dogs have tapeta that boost night vision year-round, but they don't alter color. Do reindeer's eyes really change color? If so, why, and how does this adaptation actually work in the wild? The team used spectral data from the lichen and light filters that were made to mimic reindeer vision and found that the plants may look like dark patches against a bright landscape to the reindeer. But for creatures like reindeer and seals, that extra bit of super.
Scientists reveal how reindeer use night vision and what makes them unique Researchers made the discovery when looking into why the species' eye colour changes depending on the season. "Are reindeer colour blind?" The simple answer is no. Reindeer, like other species of deer, are not colour blind, although they do see the world in a different way to us humans.
How does Baffin see the world? If you take a look at the visible spectrum below, reindeer can only see the colours at one end of it. Some scientists believe reindeer vision evolved to protect them from predators, but a new study points to another possibility: food. Life How reindeer eyes change colour in winter to help them see in the dark It turns out reindeers' amazing night vision is thanks to a strange 'mirror' in their eyes called the tapetum lucidum.
What color are reindeer eyes? Depends on the season. An astrophysicist and an eye expert teamed up to solve the mystery of how and why reindeers' eyes switch from yellow to blue in wintertime.