11 of the scariest cannibals

Cannibalism is not an uncommon phenomenon in the animal kingdom. According to recorded scientists, there are currently more than 1,500 species of animals with cannibalistic behavior. These cannibals are found both on land and in water.

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Sand tiger shark

11 of the scariest cannibals

The shark is without a doubt one of the best killers in the wild. They are born with killer instincts right from the womb.

During the breeding season, an adult female sand tiger shark can normally have 6-7 embryos in her uterus, however only one young will survive. The first chicks born will eat the young that are still in the eggshell. It then continues to attack and eat the unfertilized eggs in the mother shark's uterus. With a high protein content obtained from the first meals, this young can be born up to 3 feet (nearly 1m) long. With such a body, the sand tiger shark even when young is not afraid of being disturbed by any animal in the ocean.

Prairie civet (Also known as prairie squirrel)

The prairie civet is the scariest and cutest mass cannibal you will know.

Thanks to the work of behavioral ecologist John Hoogland, we know a number of prairie dogs have engaged in these terrifying behaviors. Fortunately, not all of these cute animals do.

11 of the scariest cannibals

"We found that most females were mated, but very few were weaned," said John Hoogland, who started studying rodents in 1974.

The researchers found that some females went down to the burrows of other blood-related females, and when they got up they frequently had blood stains on their faces. "We found most of the young were eaten down there," Hoogland said.

"The fact that a female kills the young of other females in the family to increase her chances of survival is an act of extreme competition," Hoogland said.

In that sense, this is indeed a cannibalistic world of prairie dogs.

Cane Toads

Toad eat toad meat? Can you believe it?

11 of the scariest cannibals

The cane toad is native to South America. They have a preference to eat their fellow eggs as soon as they sniff the bait. They are particularly attracted to a type of egg-protecting poison called bufadienolides. The nutrients from these eggs help them grow and reduce future competition (according to research by the University of Sydney and James Cook University, 2011).

A 2008 study showed that the cane toad repeatedly moves the middle toe of its hind foot to attract prey, including young toads. The researchers performed experiments with 28 juvenile cane toads and found that 64% of their 149 prey were other cane toads.

Snake

11 of the scariest cannibals

A 2009 Mexican flat-headed rattlesnake study found that 68% of mothers ate their babies, including those that died before birth. The researchers suggest that this may be the action to help the mother snake regain the nutrients she needs to give birth to more young snakes.

The New York Times (1901) described a story at the Bronx Zoo when black snakes became the favorite food of an oversized female cobra. This cobra's gluttony makes black snakes in the park increasingly rare.

Australian redback spider

11 of the scariest cannibals

Male Australian redback spiders will sacrifice themselves by riding on the female's mouth during mating and thereby transferring their sperm as soon as it becomes... the meal of the mate.

Maydianne Andrade of the University of Toronto Scarborough in a 2003 study showed that male Australian redback spiders that were eaten (65 percent of the time) mate longer and produced twice as many offspring as those that were eaten. Males are not eaten.

Crocodile

11 of the scariest cannibals

This photo shows an alligator eating another alligator's carcass in the Mission River, Australia. In conditions of scarcity of food, crocodiles often eat the young. Besides, they also eat carcasses of animals, including their own kind.

Mantis

11 of the scariest cannibals

The female mantis is famous for biting off the head of a male mantis while mating. Despite losing its head, the ventral ganglion in the mantis' trunk kept it alive for several hours, and mating continued as usual. The male mantis can be saved if it jumps off the female's back as soon as mating is complete.

Scorpion

11 of the scariest cannibals

Scorpions are solitary animals. When meeting their own kind, the scorpion often rushes into a fight and then the losing scorpion will be eaten by its fellow. About a quarter of a scorpion's serving is the meat of other scorpions. Like many spiders and insects, scorpions are also predators of their mates after mating.

Mormon Spoon

11 of the scariest cannibals

Mormon squirrels are closely related to crickets that live in North America. They often move in large flocks in search of food. Mosquitoes that are exhausted and die will immediately become valuable food for their fellows because their bodies are an important source of protein and mineral salts.

Lion

11 of the scariest cannibals

Lions are herds, and each pack has an adult male lion as the leader. Young male lions often fight with the leader of the herd for dominance. If successful, they often kill young lions that are the offspring of the old leader as a way to assert their position and power in the lions.

Gorilla

11 of the scariest cannibals

Chimpanzees are the closest relatives of humans and they are also one of the animals with the highest intelligence. But few people know that chimpanzees are also cannibals. Herds of chimpanzees sometimes organize group hunts and capture baby chimpanzees to eat.