Why are some animals able to see at night?
Animals that hunt at night are called nocturnal animals, and their eyes are specially adapted to see in darkness.
Most nocturnal creatures have large eyes, with wider pupils and larger lenses. This makes it possible for their eyes to gather enough light to stimulate the cells at the back of the retina, which send signals to the brain that are translated into images.
The retina of nocturnal animals is almost entirely composed of cells known as rods, that are sensitive to light. In nocturnal animals, cones are absent or almost absent, leaving them with virtually no colour vision.
Some animals have eyes that glow in the dark. This is because they have a special adaptation for night vision called the tapetum.
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