Astonishing Fact Revealed: In bullfighting, Bull charges at moving things instead of red colour!

 

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

   

Bullfighting didn’t begin in Spain as many people believe today. This illusion is probably for the reason of too much affection and craze of Spanish for the bullfighting. The sport originated in ancient Mesopotamia and the areas around the Mediterranean.

            In bullfighting, an angry, fuming and infuriated bull charges at a matador’s small red cloth (muleta).  Most believe that the bull irritates and charges at the sight of red colour!

            It is a mistaken misconception; in fact, bull, is colour blind to red like all other cattle. In fact, the bull is not irritated by the muleta’s red colour, but by the cape’s movement when the matador whips it around.

             A research, conducted by Discovery Channel in 2007, proved the above conclusion. In the TV Program, three live tests were shown which confirmed the choice of bull between colour and movement.

             Experiment No 1:  Three stationary flags of red, blue and white colours were placed in the bull’s enclosure. The bull charged on all the three flags irrespective of colours. (It means bull’s charge in independent of the colour).

             Experiment No 2: Three dummies dressed in red, blue and white were placed in the ring. The bull charged on all the three dummies regardless of their colours. Surprisingly, the bull charged the red dummy last. (It means bull’s charge doesn’t instigated by the colour).

              Experiment No 3: Three  persons were stationed in the ring; one person who was dressed in red, stood still while the other two were dressed in colours other than red but were   moving in the ring. The bull attacked the moving persons and left the motionless person wearing red clothing. (It means bull’s attack is not prompted by red colour).

              Conclusion is crystal clear; the bull is annoyed by the movement and not by red colour. Thanks to Discovery Channel which solved the sphinx riddle and helped us to reach the real cause of bull’s outrage.

              Still one question is irritating, if red colour is not irritating then why the muleta of red colour is used? The answer is: It is a concealing tactic; in the last stage of the bullfighting, when the bull meets its end, a dagger is run through in a way to hit bull’s heart and hence red colour rag helps to mask one of the horrible and terrifying aspects of bullfighting i.e. “the concealing of bull's blood”.