“Eye spots” are an evolutionary feature employed by various species to deter predators. Insects use them to misdirect birds, and some fish feature false pairs to intimidate larger fish, but no animal has ever been known to successfully deploy eye-spots against larger mammalian predators. Today, however, several hundred cattle in northern Botswana with eyes painted on their butts would beg to differ. The “eye-cows” are the result of a four-year study released earlier this month by an international team of scientists seeking the coexistence of cattle farmers and lions. And…
