According to a study, reindeer rely on their ability to see in the dark to locate necessary sources of food during the winter season.

A recent study has unveiled that reindeer possess a unique type of nocturnal vision that allows them to locate sources of food.

A study was carried out by researchers from the University of St Andrews and Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, US to investigate the reason why the eyes of reindeer change color according to the season.

The tapetum, or surface of a reindeer’s eyes, undergoes a color transformation from golden-orange during the summer to a vibrant blue during the winter. This is a unique characteristic only seen in reindeer.

The research on “Reindeer and the Search for Scottish Enlightenment” discovered that the change in eye color in these animals may aid in their vision during the harsh winter months with heavy snowfall, but it also enables them to detect ultraviolet light.

The researchers suggested that this raises the need for more investigation, as the reflection of the sun’s UV rays off the snow causes the species to absorb twice as much UV light due to their enhanced vision.

According to them, this is why deer have good night vision and can search for food, such as lichen, in the dark.

Professor Nathaniel Dominy and Professor Charles Hansen, an anthropology professor at Dartmouth College, led the research along with Dr Catherine Hobaiter and Professor Julie Harris from the University of St Andrews’ School of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Professor Dominy remarked that reindeer are fascinating creatures, but they are often only associated with Christmas.

This is an opportune moment to inform individuals about their remarkable visual system.

Some people call it “reindeer moss”, but the scientific name for the type of lichen that reindeer eat is Cladonia rangiferina.

The lichen species is not actually moss, but rather grows in sponge-like formations in the northern latitudes where reindeer reside. It plays a crucial role in their survival during the winter season.

According to Dr. Hobaiter, it has been proposed before that reindeer’s ability to see in the dark may have evolved in order to find lichen to eat. However, previous experiments did not yield significant evidence to support this theory.

According to her, there exists a total of 13,000 lichen species across the globe. However, so far, no one has examined the species that reindeer consume for food.

She declared that Scotland has an impressive variety of lichen compared to other countries, with over 1500 species found in the Highlands and a local group of reindeer reintroduced in the Cairngorms after being extinct. She believes that Scotland is an ideal location to unravel the mystery.

In early March of this year, the team started their investigation in the Cairngorms to locate lichen habitats.

The group used UV light to capture images of various lichen beds and discovered that different species had varying levels of absorption or reflection of the light. They also noted that “reindeer moss” had a strong absorption of light.

Dr Hobaiter stated that it is difficult for humans and most mammals to see pale lichen in white snow.

However, to a reindeer’s vision, the prey they rely on would appear as dark spots in the highly reflective snowy environment.

Professor Dominy stated, “Imagining oneself in the position of a reindeer, surrounded by a snowy landscape, it becomes clear that a direct path to food would be desired. In such a harsh and desolate environment, reindeer would not want to expend unnecessary energy wandering in search of sustenance.”

Having the ability to spot lichens from far away provides a significant benefit, allowing them to save valuable energy when food is in short supply.

You can find information about reindeer and their journey to Scottish enlightenment by reading here.

Source: independent.co.uk