At Londolozi, the interplay between predator and prey is a daily spectacle. More often than not, though, prey manage to evade the hunters stalking them. One misstep by the predator or a simple twitch of the ears, and the hunt is over. While the focus often falls on the predator closing in, how prey perceive their hunters is just as fascinating.
A dazzle of zebra on alert as they scan for motion with their wide-set eyes, aiding them to stand a better chance of catching a predators movement in the grass.
How do prey like impalas, zebras, and wildebeests see their predators? Unlike humans, who enjoy trichromatic vision (sensitive to red, green, and blue), most ungulates rely on dichromatic vision, detecting only blue and green. This unique system shapes how they spot lions, leopards, and cheetahs, revealing the survival strategies that define life in the bush.
What is Dichromatic Vision?
Humans perceive a vibrant colour spectrum thanks to three types of cone cells in our eyes. In contrast, dichromatic prey species have just two cone types, missing sensitivity to red light. Reds and oranges often appear as shades of grey or green, blending into the savanna’s backdrop. This vision is optimised for detecting contrast and movement, especially in low-light conditions like dawn or dusk, when predators are most active. With eyes positioned on the sides of their heads, prey animals also benefit from a near-360-degree field of view, enhancing their ability to detect threats. For a broader look at how eye structures adapt across species, check out Kate’s blog on the structural adaptations of eyes.
How we view the landscape compared to prey and predators is vastly different. To antelopes and zebras amongst others, the landscape is a canvas of muted greens and blues, where stillness often hides danger. Predators, with coats blending into these tones, rely on movement alone to give them away.
How Predators Appear to Prey
Lions: Blending with the Bush
Lions use stealth to stalk prey, and their golden-brown coats are perfect camouflage for dichromatic eyes. To a wildebeest, a lion’s fur blends with dry grass or foliage, appearing as muted grey-green tones. Prey compensate by focusing on motion—a flick of a tail or a shifting silhouette often triggers a rapid escape.
A lion’s tawny coat blends into the the sandy river beds and the muted gray-green savanna for their prey’s dichromatic eyes, until a tail flick gives them away.
Leopards: Shadows in the Foliage
Leopards are masters of disguise, their rosette-patterned coats breaking up their outline in Londolozi’s riverine forests. For an impala, these patterns merge with the shadows, lacking the red-brown hues humans see. Only movement betrays a leopard’s presence, making their ambushes deadly but not foolproof.
The Nkoveni Female and her cub camouflaged in the foliage of a marula tree.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
Cheetahs: Speed in the Open
Cheetahs rely on speed over stealth, chasing prey across open plains. Their spotted coats blend into the savanna’s neutral tones for dichromatic prey, but once the chase begins, zebras and antelopes depend on acute motion sensitivity to evade the sprint.
To these giraffes’ dichromatic eyes, the cheetah’s spots blend into the long grass, but their wide-angle vision locks onto its movement even though they are not the target prey of the cheetah.
Evolutionary Edge of Dichromatic Vision
Dichromatic vision offers prey key survival advantages:
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Low-Light Sensitivity: Enhanced vision in twilight helps prey spot predators during peak hunting times.
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Motion Detection: Prioritising contrast over colour allows quick responses to moving threats.
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Wide-Angle Vigilance: A broad field of view ensures predators are rarely out of sight.
Despite their camouflaged coats, these traits make it harder for predators to approach undetected.
Having been spotted in a thicket, a Ntsevu Lioness makes her way across an open clearing in full view of a herd of impala and wildebeest with no further intention to hunt.
Enhancing the Londolozi Experience
Understanding dichromatic vision adds a whole new dimension to how we view the predator-prey dynamic. It encourages us to shift perspective—from the intensity of the hunt to the quiet vigilance of those constantly on alert. It can change how we interpret what’s happening in the bush. What seems calm and still to us might already be triggering a subtle chain reaction among prey animals—ears twitching, heads turning, bodies preparing to flee.
By imagining the world through the eyes of an antelope or zebra—where colours are muted and movement means everything—we begin to appreciate just how well-adapted these animals are to the landscapes they call home. It’s a reminder that survival out here isn’t just about strength or speed, but about perception. Sometimes, noticing the slightest shift is what keeps you alive.
Your blog is so fascinating, Kelsey, and well explained because it’s hard for humans to imagine how animals perceive the world around them.
Thanks Kelsey, that’s really interesting.
Dear Kelsey, thanks for this informative story.
Hi Kelsey, once I watched a documentary about all antelope species successfully evade predation- even wild dogs. Predators also have a bicromatic vision, they see blu and green better and the night vision is much clearer than ours thanks to cones and roses as you said. The angle of the vision is different and so on,but, really you made a great description and, even though I like predators I like preys too and I’m glad that they have success…
Hi Kelsey, I think these prey animals are constantly on the alert, which must be so nerve racking for them. You explaining the dichromat experience that the prey see is totally different to what we see. Nor wonder these animals are constantly on the alert. Movement or a twitch can give them a heads up.
Kelsey, I learned so much from reading this about the preys’ ability to detect predators, not always by seeing them, but being acutely aware of their movements. I knew they don’t see colors as humans do, so your detailed explanation of dichromatic vision was fascinating. Another interesting fact was that their night vision is also very acute. Watching prey in the future, I’ll pay more attention if a predator is nearby.
Thank you for the article, Kelsey Clark.
Hi Kelsey, Your writing is superb and informative. I have 2 questions regarding the distinctions you are making. The first has to do with how the ungulates/prey animals perceive the motion of plants in the formula of prey versus predator. When the wind is blowing, whether as a whisper or a roar, how do the prey animals see the plants in windy conditions and how do they discern the movement of the plants from the movement of the predators or even the other ungulates – even in their own herd or group? My 2nd question is, can you do a follow up, if it hasn’t already been done, of how the predators see their prey. If it’s been done by a Londolozi ranger in the past, can you send it to me, please? Thank you for listening. I look forward to your response.