It may sound unbelievable, but reindeer eyes change from a blazing gold in the summer to a deep, dark blue in the winter. However, this isn't the kind of color change you might expect, as it usually can't be seen in most photographs. So, what exactly is happening? Read on to discover why reindeer eyes change color and how this adaptation benefits them in the wild.
Reindeer eyes change color during the winter, from golden to blue, something researchers say helps them to capture more light during the Arctic's dark winter months. "Reindeer"s (sic) eyes are golden in the summer, but turn a deep blue in the winter to capture more light," reads the caption of a Dec. 3 Facebook post.
The study looked at the eyes of reindeer that died in summer against those that died in winter and found that the seasonal change that makes them turn blue is likely brought on by a change in. Why Reindeer Eyes Change Color with the Seasons: Reindeer Eye Color Mystery Solved Reindeer, also known as caribou in North America, inhabit some of the coldest and darkest parts of our planet. These remarkable creatures face months of near.
Why reindeer eyes turn blue in winter We are republishing this fascinating article for two reasons. The first is to honour the late Dr Catchpoole, a prolific author of many fine articles. The second is new information (see Update, 14 July 2022) that confirms even more the design features of the reindeer eye's colour change.
by David Catchpoole The golden. However, it has taken us 12 years to slowly find out what is going on and why." Researchers have found the reindeer change the color of their eyes from summertime's golden to blue in the winter. But as the landscape dips into the perpetual darkness of winter, their eyes turn a rich blue.
The change isn't easily noticeable in live reindeer, simply strutting about. But the first time Jeffery dissected both summer and winter eyes in his lab and spotted the difference, "I nearly fell off my seat," he said. 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.
Similar to other animals, like cats or deer, the ungulates have light-enhancing tissue in their eyes, known as tapetum lucidum. But in reindeer, the luminescence changes color from a golden color in the summer to blue in the winter.