Tortoise Accused of Being Racist After Attacking Only Black Shoes! How Do Animals See Color?

In a captivating video shared by YouTuber Dan the Turtle Man, spectators witnessed a tortoise engaging with two tennis shoes. The motive behind the tortoise's aggression towards the shoe remains unclear, as it unfolded unexpectedly on TikTok, causing a significant buzz online.

However, it was only the black shoe that aroused the reptile's fury, leaving the white one untouched. This peculiar incident raises questions about the potential implications of race relations within the reptilian community.

Tortoise Vs. Black Shoes

Dan the Turtle Man's TikTok video provides compelling evidence of tortoises' fiery temperament, as one particular tortoise demonstrated its natural inclination to engage in conflict with a sneaker. Curiously, the tortoise appeared to have a friendly disposition towards an all-white Airforce One sneaker, while displaying animosity towards a black track shoe.

This discrepancy has left viewers puzzled and searching for an explanation. So, Distractify asked Dan the Turtle Man why the tortoise seemed to only display aggressive behavior against the black shoes.

Addressing the inquiries regarding the tortoise's selective aggression, Dan the Turtle Man, who possesses years of experience with turtles and tortoises, humorously remarked that the reason behind the reptile's preference for attacking the black shoe was its "terribly, terribly racist" nature. However, he later revealed the true rationale behind the tortoise's behavior.

According to Dan, the tortoise likely targeted the black shoe simply because it resembled another tortoise. He explained that tortoises can exhibit aggression towards their kind, and the darker color of the shoe possibly triggered this instinctive response. With this explanation, the mystery seemed to be resolved.

Nonetheless, the TikTok comment section overflowed with amusing alternative theories. One user comically claimed that the tortoise attacked the shoe, leading to an unexpected friendship. Meanwhile, another jokingly attributed the tortoise's behavior to the association of black color with the "foot clan," referencing a fictional group.

How Do Animals See Color?

According to Arizona State University's Ask a Biologist website, determining the extent of color vision in animals can be relatively straightforward based on the presence of cones in their eyes. However, it becomes challenging to ascertain the specific colors they perceive and the intensity with which they perceive them.

Scientists can examine an animal's eyes to identify the presence of cones and determine the range of colors those cones can detect. By counting the number of cones and their distribution on the retina, researchers can estimate the relative strength or weakness of color perception in animals.

Yet, the experience of color is a subjective process occurring in the brain, making it impossible to fully understand how colors appear to animals without being able to access their perceptual experiences.

This limitation extends to humans as well. Even though two individuals may agree on the color of a painted wall, it remains unknown whether they perceive it in precisely the same way.

Humans possess three types of cones that enable us to detect various colors within the visible light spectrum. However, they see the world differently than most other animals. While humans perceive light directly entering our eyes or reflecting off objects, some animals can see in infrared wavelengths, allowing them to detect heat that is invisible to humans.

Check out more news and information on Animals in Science Times.