Look at those glowing green eyes. Photo via Flickr.
Have you ever seen animals eyes shine at night when you were using your flashlight or headlamp in the dark? Well, that eye shine is simply one of the adaptations that certain nocturnal animals have to help them see in the dark.
I have to say that it is always a bit creepy to be out in the dark and see two glowing dots looking back at you. Just waking around in the dark in the forest or mountains can be a bit spooky by itself. Then throw on top of that some eye shine staring back at you and it can take your creepy factor to the next level. Well, don’t worry that eye shine has a simple explanation.
Why Do Animals Eyes Shine At Night?
The main reason that this happens is because these animals have a certain adaptation that allows them to capture as much of the available light as possible.
Basically, the light comes into their eyes, goes to the back of their eye and then gets reflected back out of their eyes. They have a reflective layer in the back of their eyes, behind the retina, that reflects the light back out of their eyes. This gives them a second chance to capture all of the light and get a better picture.
Thus, when the light is reflected back out again it appears that the animals eyes’ are shining. This is especially prominent if you shine a bright flashlight at their eyes.
Look at those Raccoon eyes shine! Photo via Flickr.
Do Different Animals Eyes Shine Different Colors?
Yes. It may be true that animals eyes shine different colors if you shine a flashlight at them in the dark.
However, this is not a reliable indicator of what animal is lurking about because one type of animal may have a few possible colors for their eye shine. Thus, you can’t always be certain what animal you are seeing based on the color of the eye shine.
For example, a raccoon’s eyes may appear to have a blue, green, or yellow shine.
Look at those green glowing eyes of a deer. Photo via Flickr.
What Causes Eye Shine To Be Different Colors?
Different raccoons or deer may have different color eye shine. There are many possible reasons for this, including the age and health of the animal.
Another possible reason for the difference is the source of the light you are using and the angle the light is hitting the animal’s eyes.