How a Pit Viper Sees a Mouse at Night Does the world look different to other species? In many cases, yes. Each species has evolved a unique set of sensory capabilities. Pit vipers see infrared light, which we sense only as warmth. The mouse here has been photographed through an infrared viewer. The image shows how a pit viper uses its infrared “vision” to detect warm-blooded prey at night (Van Dyke & Grace, 2010). Similarly, many insect and bird species can detect ultraviolet light, which is invisible to humans.

Julius Lab, UCSF