In Argentina, the weather is warm, and sheep roam freely outdoors all year round. However, there have been instances where shepherds discovered their flocks dead overnight. These sheep appeared perfectly healthy during the day, yet by morning, every single one had perished. Despite thorough examinations by bewildered shepherds, they found nothing unusual except for a few small cuts on the animals’ bodies. Superstitious herders attributed the deaths to the work of “dark forces.”
In reality, the culprit behind the sheep deaths was a small species of vampire bats. Under the cover of night, these silent creatures would swoop down on the flock, nibbling away at the wool in certain spots, piercing the skin, and draining their victims of blood.
To address this issue, the Argentine government commissioned a special film to reveal the true cause of the sheep deaths, allowing shepherds to witness the cunning tactics of the vampires firsthand. But how could they film this? Vampires typically fly only in complete darkness, while filming requires bright lights.
The director assigned to the project was undeterred. He decided to “retrain” the vampires, altering their natural instincts, and after six months, he achieved his goal. The sheep were herded into a separate pen. When the vampires attacked, powerful floodlights were turned on. Initially, the predators fled from the blinding light without a second thought. However, they gradually began to acclimate. Eventually, the floodlights became a signal for them to launch their attacks on the sheep.
Unbeknownst to him, the Argentine director inadvertently confirmed the theories of the great Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, who developed the concept of conditioned reflexes.