Not everything is colourful: 5 animals that are colour blind

We usually assume animals see the world better than we do. Sharper eyes, quicker reactions, stronger instincts. But when it comes to colour, that’s not always true.

Some animals don’t see bright shades at all. Their world is quieter, more muted, and built around movement and contrast rather than colour. And surprisingly, that works perfectly for them.

Here are five animals that are colour blind or see very limited colours.

Disclaimer: The details in this article are based on online sources and ecological studies. Information may differ depending on species and region.

Images: Canva (for representative purposes only)

Dogs don’t see a rainbow of colours. Their vision is closer to a mix of blues, yellows, and greys. Reds and greens tend to blur into similar shades.

That’s why a red toy thrown onto green grass can disappear right in front of them. But dogs aren’t confused by this. They follow movement, smell, and sound far more than colour, which is why they’re so good at tracking and hunting.

The idea that red makes bulls angry is a long-standing myth. Bulls are colour blind to red. To them, a red cape looks no different from brown or grey.

What actually provokes a bull is the motion of the cloth, not its colour. It’s the movement that catches their attention and triggers a reaction.

Rhinos don’t have strong eyesight, and their colour vision is also limited. Most of what they see falls into earthy, muted shades.

Because of this, rhinos rely more on their sense of smell and hearing to understand what’s happening around them. Their size offers protection, but their other senses do most of the work.

Underwater, colours disappear quickly as depth increases. For whales, colour vision simply isn’t very useful.

Instead, they depend on sound. Echolocation helps them navigate, find food, and communicate over long distances. In the deep sea, sound matters far more than sight.

Seals spend much of their lives in cloudy, low-light waters. Their eyes are designed to notice contrast and movement rather than different colours.

This helps them spot fish and sense danger even when visibility is poor. Colour isn’t essential in their underwater world.