EYELASHES ON A GENTLE GIANT

Eyelashes are very sensitive to touch and serve as advance lens protectors by causing the eye lids to instantly close when encountering potentially harmful obst...
Read more

Eyelashes are very sensitive to touch and serve as advance lens protectors by causing the eye lids to instantly close when encountering potentially harmful obstacles. Being jet-black they also serve as a screen against bright sunlight. In giraffes this function has been taken to the extreme where the upper eyelashes are uniquely thick brush-like extensions over their golf ball-sized eyes totally blocking out the sun not unlike the extended brim on a peak cap. As the tallest of all land mammals where being aware of potential predators involves mostly looking downward on their surrounding landscape this makes good sense. Note that the giraffe's lower eyelashes are sparsely distributed suggesting their function is mostly limited to serving as touch receptors.
Read less