Over the course of the four-year study, no cows with painted eyes were killed by predators.
In Botswana, cows apparently have a lot to worry about — lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, etc. — and farmers are getting crafty when it comes to protecting their livestock.
They've tried installing stronger fences and other deterrents but they've all failed. This is where their creatives skills come into play.
They're now painting fake eyes on the cows' rumps.
The method was recently the subject of an international study that aimed to find the most ecologically effective alternative to fencing and other methods for keeping cattle safe. The idea behind it is that lions and other predators rely on sneaking up on their prey without being spotted.
Here's their logic: If you paint eyes on the back of the cows, it will look as though they can see the lions approaching from behind — deterring them from attacking.
"Lions are ambush predators that rely on stalking, and therefore the element of surprise, so being seen by their prey can lead to them abandoning the hunt," said Dr. Neil Jordan."We tested whether we could hack into this response to reduce livestock losses, potentially protecting lions and livelihoods at the same time."
So, how's it going now that they've got some eyeballs painted on their butts?
Over the course of the four-year study, no cows with painted eyes were killed by "ambush predators," whereas other nearby cows with no painted eyes were targeted. The only problem is that the predators may figure it out over time.
"This is a fundamental issue for nearly all non-lethal approaches, and whether the technique remains effective in the longer-term is not yet known in this case," said Jordan. "Habituation may be a key issue where resident carnivores frequently encounter 'eye-cows', but in many areas, carnivores may be simply passing through, and habituation is less of a concern there."
So, I'm wishing them the best. I hope these cows keep scaring away predators. Perhaps the farmers will start painting some angrier eyes on their rumps.
By Matthew Sterner
That's Amazing! Eyes got it. 😎