By Josie December 5th, 2023
Painting eyes on the butts of cows proves a successful solution to stop predators from killing cattle - talk about hindsight!
Because the cows share the landscape with wild predators like lions and leopards, their enclosure often becomes a battleground at night.
For farmers, the sight of a cow falling prey to predators is both heart-wrenching and financially damaging.
This ongoing conflict not only impacts the livelihood of farmers but also stirs a complex ecological challenge.
In response farmers often resort to lethal means to protect their herds, posing a significant threat to already vulnerable predator populations.
In a quest for harmony between livestock and predators, researchers embarked on a novel experiment: painting large eyes on the butts of cows.
The aim is to trick predators into thinking they’ve been spotted, thus preventing attacks on these ‘eye-catching’ cows.
The method successfully reduced the loss of livestock without harming the predator populations, all with just a lick of paint!
A classic example is the butterfly, with its wings adorned with eyespots to ward off predators.