Fur bearing animals vision
Minks
Minks, like other predators, have their eyes placed on the front of the head. Due to this they have relatively good and sharp vision, but limited field of vision laterally.
The mink’s binocular field of vision (the area that can be seen with both eyes) is 80°, and it is in this area that vision is good.
The mink depends on movements to detect objects, and vision is impaired in low light conditions. For example, they see less at night, dawn, dusk, and in dark spaces. The mink has some colour vision.
The mink’s eyes are placed as to give good vision forward.
Photo: SLU.
Remember!
- The mink’s field of vision is limited but it has sharp vision forward.
- The mink’s visual clarity deteriorates in low light conditions.
Chinchilla
Chinchillas are nocturnal animals and they have excellent night vison. The eyes are placed laterally on the head, and that gives them good oversight around themselves. A wide field of vision is important in order to detect predators. Chinchillas also have good vision upward, because the eyes are placed high on the head that narrows upwards. In the wild, chinchillas are hunted by predatory birds, and therefore a good oversight upward is important.
Remember!
- Chinchillas have excellent night vision.
- Chinchillas have a wide field of vision and also good vision upward.
Chinchillas have large eyes that are adpted to darkness. They are placed laterally on the head, which gives them a wide field of vision.
Photo: SLU.
Rabbits
The rabbit’s eyes are placed laterally on the head and each eye has a 190˚ field of vision. The fields of vision are only partly overlapping, which gives poor stereopsis.
On the other hand, the total field of vision is over 300˚, and this wide field of vision is important for the survival of rabbits (and other flight animals). The eyes can move together or independantly, and rabbits have excellent vision.
They do however have problems detecting objects straight forward the nose, in particular within a two metre radius.
Rabbits, like many other flight animals, have a wide field of vision.
Photo: Helena Forslund.
Rabbits compensate for this by leaning the head sidewise so that one eye can see the area that is hard to overview. They also have difficulties seeing the area below the mouth, When they search for food they are dependant on the whiskers, the feeling in the lips, and smelling and tasting. The rabbit is 8 times more sensitive to light compared to humans, because the rabbit’s eyes have less ability to adapt to light conditions. Light with a sudden onset in a dark room (and strong sunlight) therefore blinds the rabbit.
Remember!
- Rabbits have diificulties seeing objects in front of the nose.
- Light that is suddenly lit in a dark room (and strong sunlight) blinds the rabbit.