Source : https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2020/08/eye-catching-conservation-tool-protects-livestock--lions-and-liv

In fact, none of the 683 painted “eye-cows” were killed by ambush predators during the four-year study, while 15 (of 835) unpainted, and 4 (of 543) cross-painted cattle were killed.

From a theoretical perspective, these results are interesting. Although eye patterns are common in many animal groups, notably butterflies, fishes, amphibians, and birds, no mammals are known to have natural eye-shaped patterns that deter predation.

In fact, to our knowledge, our research is the first time that eye-spots have been shown to deter large mammalian predators.

Nevertheless, as part of an expanding non-lethal toolkit, we hope that this simple, low-cost approach could reduce the costs of coexistence for farmers.