Cattle herders in Africa continue to face threats from lions, hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs that attack their herds. Although predators do not cause significant damage, it still creates considerable problems.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales proposed an unusual way to protect livestock from predators — by painting a pair of eyes on the back of a cow. It turned out that predators avoid cows with “eyes” on their backs, while out of 835 cows without such markings, 15 were killed (most of them became victims of lions).
The authors of the study suggest that lions, when attacking from ambush, are very cautious not to be noticed. If a lion or lioness sees open “eyes” in front of them, they may decide that they have been spotted and will not waste time hunting a prey that is already aware of the predator's presence.
Interestingly, even a simple cross drawn on a cow's thigh can also deter predators. Perhaps the unusual appearance of the cow instills fear in them? But is a simple cross really enough to undermine a predator's confidence in its abilities (leaving biblical explanations aside)? In any case, this question requires further study.
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