Sensational Senses: Amazing Ways Animals Perceive the World

Under the cover of night, bats have the amazing ability to navigate using echolocation. In winter, a fox can find prey hidden deep beneath the snow with pinpoint accuracy. Many other animals can also accomplish amazing feats, all thanks to their sensational senses.

We all know about the five senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing. Some animals possess seemingly turbocharged versions of those senses. The star-nosed mole, for example, has an extraordinary sense of touch. Other animals have senses we can only dream of. The deadly sidewinder rattlesnake, for instance, can see infrared light, which allows it to detect warm prey on cool nights. Powerful senses help animals to communicate, navigate their environment, find food, and much more.