Fun fact; eye contact is always considered a sign of intimidation in nearly every social animal, including gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos. There is little data of eye contact with marine mammals, while dogs sometimes interpret eye contact as either a request for affection or as a threat. Only humans have mostly positive responses to eye contact. Some species of primates (several monkeys in particular) for example will experience such extreme stress from sustained eye contact that staring at their eyes for several minutes can trigger a parasympathetic rebound and cause them to faint or even die. There's a reason flashy 'eye markings' on butterfly wings don't get them eaten. Never look an unfamiliar animal in the eyes. Even if it appears to calm them down, that would be 'cause they are paralyzed with fear. Most smaller animals will try to run away unless confined, while mid sized animals like wolves and wild boars (or the ever fearless badgers), will be increasingly likely respond to the perceived aggression in kind and attack you as their size and mass increases towards large critters like cows, seals, moose, and hippos.