This googly-eyed device is a scarecrow for the sea.
It has been created by scientists to help reduce the number of vulnerable seabirds caught by fishing nets.
Known as a looming-eyes buoy, the scarecrow uses bright eyespots and looming movements to act as a natural deterrent, preventing seabirds from diving into gillnets – vertical nets used in small-scale fisheries in many countries.
The scientists in charge found the device to reduce the numbers of birds by a quarter within a 50-metre radius of the buoy.
It is hoped the device, still in its prototype phase, will be tested in small-scale fisheries and help save thousands of seabirds each year.
...The Guardian
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