In 2020, researchers painted fake eyes on the rumps of cattle in Botswana and no eye-marked cows were killed by lions: A low-cost trick tested to reduce retaliatory killings of predators

A herd of cattle grazing across Botswana with large painted eyes on their rumps may sound unusual, but the idea came from a practical conservation problem. Across many parts of Africa, livestock losses to lions create economic hardship for farmers and often lead to retaliatory killings that threaten already declining lion populations. Finding ways to reduce these attacks without harming predators has become a major focus for conservationists. In 2020, researchers working with cattle in Botswana tested whether painting realistic eye patterns on the animals could discourage lions from attacking. The approach was based on a simple question: if a predator believes it has already been spotted, would it abandon the hunt? During the study, none of the cattle with eye markings were killed by lions, suggesting that a low-cost intervention based on predator behaviour could help reduce conflict between people and wildlife.