Are Bears Colorblind?
Bears are not colorblind. Various studies have concluded that black and polar bears can see colors. Since much of the diet of many bears consists of fruits and berries, being able to see color probably aids in their search for food.
Black Bears Can See In Color
The 1976 study that tested a bear’s perception of color strongly indicated that bears are not colorblind and, in fact, can differentiate between colors well.
The study involved two young black bears conditioned to associate food with colors. One bear was given food in a blue container, the other in a green container. The containers were sealed so that the bears could not use their sense of smell to choose the container with the food.
Once the color association was made, the researchers gave each bear a choice, including the original container and a similar container in a slightly different hue. Both bears could choose the container containing the food even though the colors were similar.
Reviewing the project, the researchers compared studies done with other animals. They noted that color identification was clear and that the bears learned very rapidly, choosing with few errors. They noted that the bears learned more rapidly than chimpanzees that had been previously studied and as fast as dogs that had undergone similar tests. The study indicated that color perception is probably an essential part of the bear’s visual perception.
Panda Bears Can See in Color
A more recent study conducted by graduate research student Angela Kelling used the Bacon, Burghardt study above as a model to test color recognition in panda bears. Again, colors were associated with a food treat. The bears could definitively distinguish color from gray, but it was unclear exactly how keen the perception was between colors. The study did show that pandas have some sort of color vision.
Resources
- Bacon, E, Burghardt, G. “Learning and Color Discrimination in the American Black Bear.” Bears: Their Biology and Management. 1976 Vol: 3
- Georgia Institute of Technology – News – “Giant Pandas See In Color”
