How Rats See the World
WouterRats’ eyes move in an unusual way when they move, allowing them to see the world around them. The way their eyes move is thought to have evolved as a defense mechanism against predatory birds. The light they perceive is largely based on contrast and the patterns of the light. This allows them to distinguish objects based on their lightness and contrast.
Rats have a 180-degree field of vision. This enables them to see objects well in the distance. This helps them avoid predators, but comes with one major disadvantage – they have no depth perception. The way they compensate is by bobbing their heads up and down and using mental images to calculate their depth of vision.
Rats have poor night vision. This makes it difficult for them to navigate. Unlike humans, rats have highly sensitive whiskers, which act like fingers. These whiskers detect differences in light and dark colors, and help them navigate. They also use their whiskers to estimate direction. This way, they can avoid predators at night.
In addition to their eyesight, rats use their highly developed hearing and strong sense of smell to see objects. While rats are nocturnal animals by nature, they may become crepuscular when they are kept as pets. This adaptation allows rats to stay up during the day and catch up sleep at night.
