Why do goats and sheep have rectangular pupils?

Question

They do. I've wondered for years.

Answer 1

so that they have a broad horizon with regard to vision (so that they are more likely to spot predators)

horses have the same type of pupil, by the way

Answer 2

Goats, sheep, horses and yes, cattle all have horizontal pupils. The reason why goat's pupils show is that their irises are pale (amber or brown), but those of most sheep, horses and cattle etc are very dark brown, almost black. Some horses have blue eyes (or quite often just one blue eye), and this shows up the pupils too. If you look very closely in a horse's eye you'll also see a little fluffy thing hanging down into the pupil from the iris (can't remember what it's called). Many other animals have this too, which I believe helps the focus somehow. When you first see it, it looks as if something awful is growing in there -- but once you realise it's normal, it's really rather beautiful. Mind it's a friendly horse though, or you may find you have fewer noses than before -- many horses don't like being looked at that closely. Of course many animals have vertical pupils -- the smaller cats (not lions etc), foxes (not wolves), some vipers and many lizards. In some geckos the vertical slit can close up to leave what looks like several tiny pupils in a line.

Answer 3

The pupil is designed to help them see and identify predators in the tall grasses.

Other animals have different shaped pupils too, and they use them for either predatory or defensive vision.

Answer 4

LOL. Yahoo answers was made for a question like this.

Answer 5

they do???