What looks like a practical joke after a night on the town may actually have a practical use.
Scientists have been painting eyes on the rear-ends of cows to prevent predators from attacking and causing them to rethink their plans. The scientists say their method is a more humane and “ecologically sound” alternative to lethal control and fencing used to separate cattle from carnivores.
Eye-like patterns can be found naturally on a number of animals, like butterflies, fish, mollusks, amphibians, and birds as a predatory deterrent.
According to the study published Aug. 7 in the journal Communications Biology, the team even theorizes the technique could be used to prevent human-wildlife conflicts and reduce criminal activity.
