Unusual Botswana Experiment Protected Cattle from Predators by Painting Eyes on Butts
Researchers in Botswana successfully reduced lion attacks on cattle by painting large eye-spots on the animals' hindquarters. This low-cost, non-lethal method exploits the predatory behavior of lions, who rely on the element of surprise to hunt.
Why it matters
This study provides a sustainable and humane solution for farmers to protect their livelihoods while simultaneously conserving predator populations.
An experiment in Botswana’s Okavango Delta found that painting large eye-spots on the backsides of cattle dramatically reduced lion attacks. Over four years, none of the 683 “eye-cows” were killed, compared with 19 losses among unpainted or cross-marked animals. The low-tech method exploits lions’ reliance on surprise and offers farmers a cheap, non-lethal way to protect herds and conserve predators..FOR CENTURIES, farmers across Africa have struggled with the same problem. Every night, lions hunt their livestock as farmers wake up to their cattle being dead. For many, losing even a single cow meant losing a significant part of their livelihood.
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