Animals that Eat Their Own Young

As barbaric and inhuman as it sounds, there are some animals that consume their own offspring at an early age. It’s not just animals with fur coats who eat their young – some varieties of fish eat their own, as do a number of insects. Below is a list of what animals will eat their own:

The sand goby. This fish, also called the polewig, resides in the coastal waters around Europe and the Mediterranean. The female lays her eggs during the summer, which the male then guards until the eggs hatch. However, some of those eggs may not hatch at all; the biggest and tastiest looking ones can and will be eaten by the male. Maybe its being away from the female for so long that makes him do this, since the female fish takes off, leaving the male with all of the eggs to keep safe in his care.

The wolf spider. These are solitary spiders that are quite large but are harmless unless provoked. In fact, they are useful as they eat other insects that are harmful to plants, and they also eat their own. Wolf spiders carry their own eggs with them in a special sac in their bodies. Once they are born, the babies congregate together on the mother’s stomach, ready to be fed. In some cases, the babies may even wind up being the mother’s next meal. Unfortunately, nature is cruel that way.

The polar bear. Yes, they are cute and cuddly – what baby bear isn’t cuddly? The adult polar bears will definitely have a go at eating one of their own babies. Given their natural predatory instinct, eating its own baby probably isn’t that unusual at all.

The wolf. Wild dogs are predators, too, and have been known to kill a variety of other, much smaller animals just for food. Just like the polar bear, the wolf will consume its young if given the chance.

The hyena. Native to Africa and Asia, this animal, known for making a laughing sound, is a vicious predator, and will consume the entire kill, including any bones. Well, at least the hyena gets points for neatness and not leaving the remains of dead animals hanging around to attract the maggots. But this guy will eat his own offspring too.

The hippopotamus. This large partial water animal is native to Africa. Related to the whale, the hippo also lived in Europe right before the last Ice Age. Usually portrayed as cute animals, the hippo has another thing that is not very cute: canine teeth that measure twenty inches long and slightly more.(3) Maybe the hippo is not perceived to be an eater of its own because it is an herbivore, but given the chance, an adult hippo will indeed eat its young. Don’t let the hippo’s external appearance fool you: this animal has powerful jaws, can outrun a human with no problem, and can cause immense damage to anyone if provoked.

1. http://www.livescience.com/animals/080206-cannibal-parents.html

2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/olivia-zaleski/veras-cub-why-some-moth_b_81146.html

3. http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Hippopotamus.asp