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. The claim: Photos show reindeer have golden eyes in the summer and blue eyes in the winter Reindeer are often associated with a red nose. 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. Why do reindeer's eyes change color with the seasons? In this video, Alex Dainis explains why reindeer eyes change color from orange-gold in the summer to blue in the winter.
This change allows them to UV light in the winter time, which might seem counterintuitive because of their bright, snowy habitat. However, the reindeers' food source is a light colored lichen that absorbs UV. Reindeer don't have red noses, but their eyes do turn green to blue in the winter.
Scientists are finally figuring out why. What felt like an imposition would turn out to be quite the find, however, as reindeer eyes harvested from animals killed in the summer and others killed in the winter were found to contain more. 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. Why do Reindeer Eyes Turn Blue? It can be hard to visually tell the difference between the summer and winter eyes of reindeer, but the reindeer experiences a drastic change in its vision. ©pawopa3336/iStock via Getty Images Reindeer have adapted their vision.
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. 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.