Why Rudolph doesn’t know he’s got a red nose
IT’S supposed to be the reason that the rest of the reindeer called him names.
But Rudolph’s very shiny nose should never have prompted any teasing at all – because reindeer lack the right cells in their eyes to detect the colour red.
While humans have three cone cells in their eyes, reindeer have two. This means they have similar vision to dogs, and struggle to distinguish between red, orange and green.
Professor Martin Stevens, an expert on animal vision from the University of Exeter, said this means reindeer would be unlikely to mock Rudolph’s appearance. Professor Stevens, who questioned the veracity of the carol at the Science of Christmas event in Falmouth, said: ‘Santa would be able to see the colour of Rudolph’s nose ... but the other reindeer could not.’
Their problems with red and orange mean reindeer may even miss carrots left out for them at Christmas. They can, however, see ultraviolet light, which helps them spot white wolves and other predators.