Infanticide is the killing of young offspring’s by a mature animal of its own species (Wikipedia). Infanticide is quite common in certain animals. Recently, a male Leopard was photographed killing and eating a cub in the Okavango delta, Botswana. This was the first ever photograph of a male leopard committing infanticide.
We too are Guilty
Human beings too, have been known to practice infanticide. Thankfully, this behavior no longer exists, at least in many communities around the world. Scientists have identified the following as some of the major reasons why certain animals chose infanticide over survival: Adaptive strategy, psycho-social pathology, and population regulation.
In the Animal kingdom, the following are the “worst offenders.”
The male Lion
Languar Monkey
The African Black Eagle
Chimpanzee
Mice
Brown Bears
Dolphins
Ring-tailed Lemur
House Sparrow
Sources:
Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4, Image 5, Image 6, Image 7, Image 8, Image 9
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