Why Do Some Animals Eat Their Cubs?

Pretty wild and “Why do they kill their own offspring?” This situation, which brings to mind the question, actually means a kind of renewal of the animal kingdom. Although we regret that these cute puppies are eaten and killed by their own parents, it seems that this situation is of great benefit to the parents.

ecologically and physically Eating their offspring to gain advantages is not considered an unscrupulous act for them, contrary to what we think in the animal kingdom.

Domestic homicide; scientific name “filial infanticide”.

Many animal species, from pigs to cats, from hamsters to insects, kill and even eat their young. At this point, we will use filial infanticide, where the parents kill their own offspring; filial cannibalism they mean that they eat their own children.

Douglas W. Mock, a biology professor at the University of Oklahoma and author of a book on the subject, says: “We think other species look after their offspring the same way we care for them. According to us as if infanticide was a sick thing “It looks like it, but not for them.”

Let’s take a look at the theories on this subject. First presumed reason: To meet energy and nutrient needs from the offspring.

Females start to breastfeed their young after birth if they are healthy. If one or more of the puppies are sick and look weaker than the others, the mother probably ate that pup. Like this with increased calories and energy they will be able to give the necessary care to their other offspring and lose less energy.

Another reason is to get rid of the offspring that cannot mature quickly.

For a healthy gene transfer, unhealthy or problematic offspring that do not grow, except the most healthy offspring, eat their parents. Thus, an unhealthy gene transfer it is also closed. We can also call it an instinctive thing brought about by some kind of evolutionary pressure.

Being able to reproduce is among these reasons.

In some species, males represent younger members of the population. mating with a female It can be eaten to increase fertility. The simplest example of this is lions. Male lions fall into the group of those who kill their cubs in order to mate with the female. Also known as the bottlenose dolphin, when a mother sees a dolphin with her baby, it does its best to destroy the family. Can we call it jealousy?

Finally, to avoid competition between the offspring.

Generally, males are known to kill offspring, while females can also kill their offspring. Female parents build joint nests so that their offspring can compete more easily with different species. social structure of birds and bees they kill their eggs. Or some female fish Male fish may steal and eat eggs from their nests in order to increase their own reproductive chances.

All these hypotheses why they eat “their” offspring are the most plausible and accepted explanations for Now, when you see a cat eating its kitten on the street, don’t be so emotional about it, at least we won’t make it tragic by considering it as a necessary step for the reproduction of new kittens.