Do Bulls Actually Hate Red? Everything You Need to Know About Bull Eyesight

You’ve seen the hilarious cartoons where a rabbit is waving a bright red flag at a bull. The bull snorts and is often depicted with steam blowing out of its ears as it charges the rabbit. But do bulls hate the color red? Read this article to learn about the truth behind if red makes bulls angry.

Why Do Bulls Hate the Color Red?

The truth is bulls do not hate red.

Unlike humans, who can see every color, bulls cannot see the color red. Their sight cannot see the color red. Similar to other cattle, bulls lack the retina receptor needed to detect the pigments that make up the color red. Therefore, the lack of cone cells needed to register the color red supports that bulls do not hate the color red.

Why Are Bulls Associated With Red?

If bulls can’t see the color red, then why are they associated with red? The reason that bulls are most likely associated with bulls is because of the red cloth that Matadors use to entice bulls into charging them.

Matadors are the men you see at bullfighting competitions who wave the flag to get the bull to charge.

Coupled with social media, Hollywood, and movies, this is the reason that you often see bulls associated with red.

Unfortunately, the act behind making a bull mad is anything but endearing.

A Brief History of Bullfighting

Bullfighting was a form of entertainment that began as far back as the Medieval times. In the times of the middle ages, bullfighting was used as a form of power, entertainment, and cultural gain.

Bullfighting is the act of immobilizing, murdering, or rendering a bull based on rules, regulations, or cultural expectations.

In modern times, bullfighting is becoming less popular due to animal welfare. This is due to the often cruel acts that go on during a bullfighting performance.

Would you want someone jabbing and waving their hands at you until you lash out in a rage? Not! The bull should not be subject to such acts either.

What Makes a Bull Angry?

Typically, bulls are not violent or angry unless they are provoked. This does not mean you should turn your back on a bull. Bulls, especially dairy bulls are dangerous. A docile bull can become agitated quickly if provoked.

They are a prey animal and they are delighted to be in herds. For a bull, being in a herd provides safety and security for the animal. Did you know that bulls can live in massive herds of up to 70 bulls?

Bulls are angered by their fear triggers. For a bull, fear triggers include:

1. Unfamiliar objects. Saddles, men dressed in clown costumes, and weird-looking statues are just some objects that can make a bull upset.
2. Smells. Blood, vinegar, and garlic can make any docile bull become fearful.
3. Sudden Movement. The sight of a person waving their arms, moving too fast, or coming straight at a bull can create uneasiness in the animal.
4. Noise. Yelling, screaming, or any loud noise can upset bulls.

Three Things That Make a Bull Angry

Remember, bulls do not show anger out of hate or being mad. Anger comes from a place of fear and uncertainty for these massive animals. 

These three things can create anger in a bull 

Isolation

Bulls do not find joy in being alone. When they are placed in isolation, it can create panic and drive anger into a bull. Rodeos and bullfighting are two situations that become very stress-inducing and invoke anger in a bull. This is because they are whisked away from their herd, placed into a stall, and left there until it is time for the show. During the time of isolation, the anticipation and isolation can shoot the bull’s anger level sky high. 

This is why you see them buck and charge during rodeos and bullfighting competitions.

Physical Abuse

Hounding on a bull, whipping, and shoving, to name a few examples, are one way a bull gets angry. This is often seen at rodeos where men dressed up as clowns invoke the bull by performing physically harmful acts on them, such as hitting, slapping, or using a bullhook to get them to react.

This is also proof that in the movies, where you see someone talking to a bull, and it suddenly turns, is not typically what would happen. Then again, as said, you should never fully trust a bull either. It takes a split second for something to scare a bull, which will cause it to act out in anger.

Psychological Abuse

The yelling and screaming that is seen at rodeos and other bull events are another way to make the bull upset and react. In a way, the bull can develop PTSD, and this makes the bull act out in anger.

How Do You Scare a Bull Away?

If you live in a rural location where farming is popular, you may have the chance of running into a bull.

What to Do If You Come Across a Bull to Escape Safely

1. Observe your surroundings. Notice if there are any cattle guards or Texas fences around. Look for a way that you can safely escape without risk of being corned by the way.
2. Back Away With Caution. If the bull is not showing any signs of aggression, slowly back away. DO NOT at any moment keep your back to the bull. If they decide to charge you, this can lead to fatality. Make sure that you are either walking backward or diagonally. This will throw off the bull’s movement and help you get away safely.

Signs a Bull Is About to Charge

Look for these signs if you are in a pasture with a bull. Even a calm, docile bull can attack you unprovoked:

1. Pawing. A bull will drag one of its front hooves on the ground before it is about to charge.
2. Flared Nostrils. Bulls will flare their nostrils if they are about to charge.
3. Broadening Their Chest. Bulls will make themselves look bigger before they are about to charge. This includes puffing out their chest to look scary.

What to Do If a Bull Charges at You

1. DO NOT try to charge at the bull. This will only egg it on.
2. Dodge a charge by moving to the side away from the bull’s path. 
3. Run in a different direction as you pass the bull. Make sure to turn the bull around with your movement. This will give you extra time to get away from a bull who is trying to trample you.
4. As a last resort, if it is still charging you, you may have to strike it. It may sound inhumane, but this is one time that you are fighting for your life. A bull in a fit of anger can be dangerous or even cause death to a human if they get cornered. If you do not have a weapon of some sort to strike the bull with, your next step will be to find something to hide behind. It could be a hay bale, a large barn, or a car. As long as it is something that will keep you away from harm, you can hide behind it.
5. Should a bull have rammed you with its horns, the best thing to do is to play dead. This should deter the bull from ramming you again.

It is safe to say that bulls do not hate the color red. This is due to the lack of a red retina which deters the bull from seeing red pigments.