eli5, why do deer run at the slightest sound or movement, but just stand there and stare when a car is coming towards them at full speed?
In: 10337
Source: I hunt deer
Deer either freeze completely or immediately bolt when they detect something, they are super sensitive to movement and sound. They also have a reflective layer on their retina that bounces light back through their photoreceptors so they can see better at night (this is why lots of animals eyes are shiny).
Car headlights completely blind them and they aren’t able to see that it’s a giant thing moving at quick speeds directly towards them, so their instinct is to freeze until they see movement / figure out what it is.
You’ll notice that they’re more likely to not freeze in front of a car during the day because they can see it moving closer.
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