TAPETUM LUCIDUM

 

Bin displaying his tapetum lucidum

When you see an animal's eyes shining at night, you are seeing the reflection of this special layer of tissue called tapetum lucidum. A type of night vision, light enters the eye and passes through the retina to the tapetum which acts like a mirror and reflects more light back into the retina.

Cats, dogs, deer, raccoons, cattle, horses, ferrets, some primates such as lemurs, nocturnal birds such as owls, some fish, crocs and alligators have tapeta. We do not. Nor do squirrels, kangeroos, camels and pigs.