Have you ever wondered why some animals eat their young?
Animals are just like humans and have a lot of different personalities. Some animals are loving and kind, while others are vicious and cruel. But what about the ones that eat their own young? Why do these animals kill their own offspring?
Animals eat their young for several reasons. Some do it to get back nutrients, others because they can’t find enough food to feed them all, and some because they’re stressed out by environmental changes or population pressures.
Here are 10 animals who eat their young!
Black-tailed prairie dogs are herbivores, and usually, they’re not killers. But often, unprotected juveniles fall victim to other Prairie Dog mothers who share territory with them when leaving their burrow for the first time. Why? That’s not clear. But there are several possible reasons. Knowing that only lactating Prairie Dogs kill other youngs, the reason might be to either get rid of competition for their young or being afraid that the other mother might kill her own offspring.
Prairie Dogs
Black-tailed prairie dogs are herbivores, and usually, they’re not killers. But often, unprotected juveniles fall victim to other Prairie Dog mothers who share territory with them when leaving their burrow for the first time. Why? That’s not clear. But there are several possible reasons. Knowing that only lactating Prairie Dogs kill other youngs, the reason might be to either get rid of competition for their young or being afraid that the other mother might kill her own offspring.
Dogs
Eating their own young rarely happens in dogs because dog moms are very protective of their litter. But sometimes, even dogs might kill their own young. Why? Most likely because the puppy was weak or sick, and the dog decided that it’s better to focus on her healthy babies. Other reasons might be a high-stress level, often because of a noisy place or a mother’s illness.
Primates
Some primates eat their own young. It is often seen as a form of reproductive strategy and has been observed in many different species. In some cases, it may be done for sexual reasons or to increase their status.
There are examples among primates, such as monkeys. The most common reason for this behavior is that it increases the reproductive success of those who kill the young because they have increased access to fertile females after killing infants from other groups or families.
This theory suggests that when there is not much food available, competition between primates will increase. This leads to aggression towards young animals because they do not want to compete with adults for food later on when they become mature.
Another possible explanation could be related to female choice; if one male kills another’s youngs, he might gain favor with her mothering instincts. This can lead her to mate with him instead of his rival fathering her next litter (i.e., sexual selection). However, these explanations are still being debated.
Hamsters, Mice, And Rats
Many rodents, like hamsters, mice, and rats, are known to eat their own young.
Often, these animals eat their own young due to stress, fear, not enough food, or illness. Rats are known to eat their own young if their cage while having babies was cleaned too often.
Nature is scary, and a mother who knows her babies don’t have a chance to survive may eat one or several of her own litter to increase her chance to survive.
If you own pet rodents, make sure they are well feed and feel safe in a quiet environment. Especially if they have babies.
Fish
Fish are stupid. Oh, come on, you knew the answer. Most of them don’t have parental care. These animals eat their own young because they can’t tell their own offspring from other fish.
For a grown-up fish, a baby fish just looks like food.
Some fish, however, like the Betta splendens, also known as siamese fighting fish, do care very well for their young. Their offspring is still not completely safe, though. Because unexperienced males (who take care of their babies) might accidentally swallow their own kids while caring for them. That must be tough!
Bears
Bear mothers are VERY protective of their cubs. But it turns out that bears will sometimes kill their own offspring if they feel threatened or think there is not enough food to support themselves and their young. Bear mums might also kill their young if they’re ill. This is called infanticide, which means killing babies soon after birth. It’s an instinctive response from the animal when times get tough – so next time you see a mother bear with two cubs, don’t be too surprised if she kills one of them!
Lions
Male lions don’t even think about raising other males cubs. If they successfully oust another male, they’ll kill his cubs. Why? To mate with their mother, who will quickly, after losing her young, become fertile again.
Chickens
Everyone thinks chickens just eat corn and worms. But did you know they love eating mice too? They eat their own eggs as well. And occasionally, chicken mums (hens) even eat their own chicks!