360 degree stereoscopic vision is the answer

Hi,



Why do humans, owls and tigers have forward facing eyes? Deer, cows, and antelopes have eyes on the sides of their faces?

The answer: Stereoscopic vision is important for hunters; a wide field of vision is important for herbivores to detect and escape from their predators

When both eyes face forward, the fields of vision of the two eyes will overlap. This gives rise to a sensation of depth or distance. This is important if a predator is to catch its prey. Hunters need this acute sense of distance/depth.

In the case of prey animals, their food organism does not run away. (Plants are rooted to the ground.) However herbivores have to be on the look out for the predators and hence the importance of a wide field of vision.

Then the question is why do hammer-head sharks have eyes which are so far apart that it does not seem to give them stereoscopic vision. BTW, these sharks are avid hunters that chase and catch fast swimming and agile prey such as squids and ray fish.

To find out more on this click Why the hammerhead shark got its hammer


Cheers