Reindeer: how do they orient themselves in the arctic darkness?

Now with the great heat thinking of the ice of the North Pole, snow and winter is a miracle cure, so even with reindeer. Science has already mentioned the superpowers of these animals and their adaptations to live in an extreme environment. Their eyes are made to see, even in dark of the arctic night, a period when the sun does not cross the horizon. A recent study from University College London reveals the mechanism behind their night vision. In short, the appearance of the reindeer changes as winter arrives.

Reindeer love lichens, abundant in a harsh environment such as the Arctic. Reindeer have to dig under the snow. In summer it is easy, but in winter the view becomes more complicated. They would be perfect eyes prone to night vision but also used to the annual sun. Nature helped the reindeer by changing their shape eyes at the change of season. The mutation relates to the name structure tapetum lucidum, a kind of mirror behind the retina. Reflecting them against some of the light entering the eye allows the retina to receive more light. Anything to get a clearer picture.

This structure is not typical of reindeer, even other animals such as cats use it for their night vision. Reindeer, however, are special because they change their eye structure and color with the seasons. Gold in the summer with the sun, while in the winter it turns deep blue like the polar night. In addition, with the change of season, the internal pressure of the eye also changes, which affects the color of the tapetum.

Just like we have summer and winter tires, so do reindeer and their eyes.

Robert Fosbury, lead author of the study