Reindeer Vision Evolved for Food Detection, Study Finds

Unlike other mammals, reindeer can see in the ultraviolet spectrum, aiding in the detection of their preferred food, reindeer moss.

Researchers from Dartmouth College and the University of St. Andrews have discovered that reindeer eyes have evolved to spot their preferred meal, reindeer moss, a type of lichen that grows in northern latitudes.
Unlike other mammals, reindeer can see light in the ultraviolet spectrum, which allows them to spot the moss, which absorbs UV light, against the snow.
Reindeer eyes contain mirror-like tissue that changes color from greenish gold in the summer to vivid blue in the winter, thought to amplify the low light of polar winter.
The study suggests that the evolution of reindeer vision may not be solely for predator detection, as previously thought, but also for food detection.
Reindeer eyes are full of ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, which is beneficial for repairing damaged cells.