Self defence

Deilephila elpenor, the elephant hawk moth, is a moth in the family Sphingidae,  with a magnificent caterpillar.  It is years since I last saw a caterpillar but today we saw two. Both were tempting fate by inching across a gravel path.
The moth's common name is derived from the caterpillar's resemblance to an elephant's trunk. When it is disturbed, for example by a gentle poke with a finger, it displays a remarkable defensive posture. It tucks in its head and expands its anterior segments to display eye-like markings which serve to startle and to frighten off any bird tempted to make a meal of the caterpillar. 

Oh, the complexity of life! It saddens me greatly that we apes are very rapidly destroying so much of the natural world. Why, I ask myself, is there so little money made available to preserve life on this planet while eye-watering amounts are spent on travelling to Mars in search of extra-terrestrial life?