The color red doesn’t really make bulls angry; they are color-blind - FactzPedia

The color red doesn’t really make bulls angry; they are color-blind.

The color red doesn’t really make bulls angry; they are color-blind. Bullfighting is one of the most popular customs in Spain. People from different parts of the world come to see a bullfighter (matador) wave his red cape (muleta) in front of a snorting bull, who appears to see the red cape and charge angrily towards it. We have a similar event in Tamil Nadu during Pongal time.

As kids, we were told by our parents not to stand in front of a bull when wearing a red dress, or something along those lines.

But why red color makes bulls angry?

Here is a big surprise for you. Bulls are actually color blind for red and green. Bulls, just like other cattle, can’t differentiate between red and green colors. But have we not been told that red color makes bulls go mad. Why does a bull lose its temper and come charging?

It’s not the color, but rather the movement of the cloth that makes bulls so angry. Moreover, the bulls used in bullfights are from a very aggressive breed and they’re raised in a way that any sudden movements will make these bulls angry and make them attack.

If the cape(red cloth) is of some other color also, the bull will still charge at it. Therefore, if a bullfighter is dressed in red and is standing still and another bullfighter dressed in any other color (even white) begins moving in front of the bull, the bull will attack the bullfighter in white – the one who is moving.

So why is the color red used in bullfights?

A red-colored cape is used purely as a matter of tradition. From the 1700s, muleta or the red cape was used for making a bull angry. Also, the red color of the cape helps mask the blood of the bull as it is fended off by the matador.