{"id":4518,"date":"2021-04-07T12:17:23","date_gmt":"2021-04-07T12:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/?p=4518"},"modified":"2021-05-07T16:47:25","modified_gmt":"2021-05-07T16:47:25","slug":"what-colour-are-lions-eyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/","title":{"rendered":"What colour are Lions eyes?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Question<\/strong>: What colour are Lions eyes? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Adult lions&#x2019; eyes are an orangey brown, almost golden color. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/how-many-cubs-do-lions-have\/\">Lion Cubs<\/a> are born with blue eyes<\/strong>. When they are born, lion cubs are blind and from a few weeks old to 2-3 months they have blue eyes until they ultimately change into the golden color of adulthood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The eyes of the lion are simultaneously a <a href=\"https:\/\/lionalert.org\/lets-look-at-lions\/#:~:text=Their%20eyes%20are%20a%20blue,clean%20and%20protect%20the%22eye.\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">beautiful <\/a>but terrifying sight. One that many hope to never see up close and personal but are in awe of when they see pictures in magazines or online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_47 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-661625dc3388d\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-661625dc3388d\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Let%E2%80%99s_learn_more_about_Lions_eyes\" title=\"Let&#8217;s learn more about Lions eyes\">Let&#8217;s learn more about Lions eyes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Lions_Eye_structure\" title=\"Lions Eye structure\">Lions Eye structure<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Physical_characteristics_of_Lions_eyes_which_help_them_see_in_the_dark\" title=\"Physical characteristics of Lions eyes which help them see in the dark\">Physical characteristics of Lions eyes which help them see in the dark<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Tapetum_lucidum\" title=\"Tapetum lucidum\">Tapetum lucidum<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Don%E2%80%99t_get_too_close\" title=\"Don&#8217;t get too close!\">Don&#8217;t get too close!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Range_of_vision\" title=\"Range of vision\">Range of vision<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Summary\" title=\"Summary\">Summary<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" title=\"Frequently Asked Questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Do_lions_have_yellow_eyes\" title=\"Do lions have yellow eyes?\">Do lions have yellow eyes?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#What_color_eyes_do_white_lions_have\" title=\"What color eyes do white lions have?\">What color eyes do white lions have?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Is_a_lion_color_blind\" title=\"Is a lion color blind?\">Is a lion color blind?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Should_you_look_a_lion_in_the_eyes\" title=\"Should you look a lion in the eyes?\">Should you look a lion in the eyes?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#What_Big_Cat_has_the_best_eyesight\" title=\"What Big Cat has the best eyesight?\">What Big Cat has the best eyesight?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Do_lion_cubs_have_blue_eyes\" title=\"Do lion cubs have blue eyes?\">Do lion cubs have blue eyes?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#Do_lions_eyes_change_color\" title=\"Do lions eyes change color?\">Do lions eyes change color?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Let%E2%80%99s_learn_more_about_Lions_eyes\"><\/span>Let&#8217;s learn more about Lions eyes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many questions that arise from just one prompt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>What is so special about lions&#x2019; eyes? <\/li><li>Are there any special aspects to the design and shape?<\/li><li>What type of eyesight do they have? <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s try and answer these questions, as we learn more about Lions eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lions_Eye_structure\"><\/span><strong>Lions Eye<\/strong> structure<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Lions and other big cats&#x2019; eye structures help make them apex predators. Lions specifically have eyes that are three times as large as a human&#x2019;s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Physical_characteristics_of_Lions_eyes_which_help_them_see_in_the_dark\"><\/span>Physical characteristics of Lions eyes which help them see in the dark<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There is also another physical characteristic that help a lion&#x2019;s eyesight that is commonly overlooked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lions have a stripe, or patch of white fur directly below their eyes that help maximize the amount of light that the lion&#x2019;s eyes can process and absorb. The fact that these strips are white is an indicator that the animal is nocturnal. Other big cats who have developed such characteristics, but are active during the day, have black stripes to decrease glare and increase their line of sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the day lions and humans have comparable eyesight, but at night the lion can see up to eight times better than a human. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lions are not able to see in complete darkness but due to how many cones and rods the lions have within their eyes, their eyes are able to pick up more illumination from fainter light sources such as the moon and stars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tapetum_lucidum\"><\/span>Tapetum lucidum<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Lions also possess a reflective layer within their eyes that allow them to better pick up on light sources. This reflective layer, also known as <em><strong>Tapetum lucidum<\/strong><\/em>, is what cause lions&#x2019; eyes to seemingly glow at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The glow is just light reflecting from their eyes giving them the upper hand against animals whose eyes are not capable to utilize such little light sources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-67755d69 gb-headline-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Don%E2%80%99t_get_too_close\"><\/span><strong>Don&#8217;t get too close!<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Thinking about seeing those glowing eyes just outside of your flashlight or lantern&#x2019;s range is enough to make anyone&#x2019;s heart drop and begin a primal panic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, what is one to do in such a situation? Lions are huge apex predators, but if they encounter another animal that seems bigger, louder, and standing their ground many lions would not see the point of facing down with such an animal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/how-to-survive-a-lion-attack\/.\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">experts and safari tour guides alike give the advice<\/a> that if one is close enough to see into and appreciate the beauty of a lion&#x2019;s eyes one should: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>make themselves seem larger than they are<\/li><li>make a lot of noise<\/li><li>stand their ground<\/li><li>never turn your back or run away from the lion.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>That gives a human the best chances of survival, while those who run are seen by the lions as slow prey to be easily taken down!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Range_of_vision\"><\/span>Range of vision<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Big cats have a larger range for their field of vision compared to humans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, for lions, their eyes have a hard time moving back and forth, so in order to react to something they hear or can see they have to move their whole head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is one fact about the lion&#x2019;s eyes that seem to be seen as a negative, but they more than make up for that setback with their increased vision at night and wide field of vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So now you know what colour are lions eyes for both adult lions and cubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is said for humans that &#x201C;the eyes are the windows into the soul&#x201D; but when looking at a human eye compared to a lions&#x2019; one can think, &#x201C;human eyes are the foggy and subpar windows into the soul.&#x201D; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a reason why lions are major apex predators of the wild and referred to as the &#x201C;King of the Cats&#x201D;. Lions&#x2019; eyesight contributes to their continued top tier place in the animal kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-db348e14\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span><span class=\"gb-icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"img\" height=\"1em\" width=\"1em\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M448 360V24c0-13.3-10.7-24-24-24H96C43 0 0 43 0 96v320c0 53 43 96 96 96h328c13.3 0 24-10.7 24-24v-16c0-7.5-3.5-14.3-8.9-18.7-4.2-15.4-4.2-59.3 0-74.7 5.4-4.3 8.9-11.1 8.9-18.6zM128 134c0-3.3 2.7-6 6-6h212c3.3 0 6 2.7 6 6v20c0 3.3-2.7 6-6 6H134c-3.3 0-6-2.7-6-6v-20zm0 64c0-3.3 2.7-6 6-6h212c3.3 0 6 2.7 6 6v20c0 3.3-2.7 6-6 6H134c-3.3 0-6-2.7-6-6v-20zm253.4 250H96c-17.7 0-32-14.3-32-32 0-17.6 14.4-32 32-32h285.4c-1.9 17.1-1.9 46.9 0 64z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"gb-headline-text\"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People who ask&#xA0;&#8216;<strong><em>What colour are Lions eyes?<\/em><\/strong>&#8216;&#xA0;also ask;<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620405955576\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_lions_have_yellow_eyes\"><\/span><strong>Do lions have yellow eyes<\/strong>?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong><em>Yes<\/em><\/strong>. Adult lions have orangey-brown almost golden eyes.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620405960398\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_color_eyes_do_white_lions_have\"><\/span><strong>What color eyes do white lions have<\/strong>?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>White lions are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/animals\/article\/animals-lions-color-health-genetics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">not albinos<\/a>, <strong>they have the same eye color variants as other lions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620405969294\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_a_lion_color_blind\"><\/span><strong>Is a lion color blind<\/strong>?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong><em>No<\/em><\/strong>, Lions, like your domesticated cat, cannot distinguish red colors in their surroundings. They can see other colors though.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620405976237\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_you_look_a_lion_in_the_eyes\"><\/span><strong>Should you look a lion in the eyes<\/strong>?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>If you are close enough to see a lion&#x2019;s eyes, and they are charging, <strong><em>experts say the best thing is to stand your ground<\/em><\/strong>. Never turn your back or run, those actions might spur on an attack.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620405983983\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Big_Cat_has_the_best_eyesight\"><\/span><strong>What Big Cat has the best eyesight<\/strong>?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong><em>Cheetahs<\/em><\/strong>. It is believed that with their 210 degree field of vision have the best eyesight of the big cats.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620405994301\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_lion_cubs_have_blue_eyes\"><\/span><strong>Do lion cubs have blue eyes<\/strong>?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong><em>Yes<\/em><\/strong>. Lion cubs are born blind and with blue eyes until they are around 2 or 3 months, then their eyes change to the signature golden color.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620406003301\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_lions_eyes_change_color\"><\/span><strong>Do lions eyes change color<\/strong>?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong><em>Yes<\/em><\/strong>. Lions&#x2019; eyes only change color when they are young cubs. Their eyes do not change once they hit adulthood.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Question: What colour are Lions eyes? Adult lions&#x2019; eyes are an orangey brown, almost golden color. Lion Cubs are born with blue eyes. When they are born, lion cubs are blind and from a few weeks old to 2-3 months they have blue eyes until they ultimately change into the golden color of adulthood. The &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"What colour are Lions eyes?\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-colour-are-lions-eyes\/#more-4518\" aria-label=\"More on What colour are Lions eyes?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[11,12],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/what-color-are-lions-eyes-scaled.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4518"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4518"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4518\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}