Infanticide in carnivores

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Infanticide is the killing of a neonate after birth. In zoology, this commonly refers to the killing and in some cases consumption of newborn animals by either a parent or an unrelated adult of the species. In carnivores, it is common for an unrelated male to commit infanticide to make females sexually receptive. Parental infanticide is sometimes a result of extreme stress by human intrusion.

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Parental infanticide

The giant otter becomes extremely sensitive to human activity when rearing its young. Giant otters in captivity must be given privacy when raising their litters as cases of parental infanticide have been reported in the species, potentially caused by human visual and acoustic interference. Though not confirmed, it has been suspected that similar occurrences happen in the wild due to tourists. [1] In the wild, polar bear mothers will sometimes kill their young because they lack adequate food, but in captivity the main reason is stress. [2]

Nonparental infanticide

Lion cubs are frequent victims of nonparental infanticide by usurping males. Mother lion and cubs.jpg
Lion cubs are frequent victims of nonparental infanticide by usurping males.

In many instances of nonparental infanticide in carnivores, the male of a species kills the young of a female to make her sexually receptive, e.g. brown bears. When one or two new male lions defeat and exile the previous males of a pride, the conqueror(s) will often kill any existing young cubs fathered by the losers. [3] As many as 80% of lion cubs die before they reach the age of two. [4] Often a lioness tries to defend her cubs against this kind of behavior from the usurping male(s), but success is more common when a group of females join to defend their offspring. [3] Within five months of a tigress giving birth, she may become receptive again if her first litter is lost, and for this reason wandering males may commit infanticide. [5] In fear of infanticide, female jaguars will not tolerate the presence of any male, even the father of the litter, once she gives birth to her cubs. [6]

If the father of a leopard's litter is present for the rearing of the cubs, there are fewer instances of infanticide as foreign males stay farther away from the cubs.

Groups of banded mongooses have been observed kidnapping and/or killing the members of other groups for no confirmed reason, though many theories have been suggested. [7]

Species known to commit infanticide

Exceptions

Due to the reproductive behavior of female cheetahs, males are unlikely to commit infanticide. Cheetah cub close-up edit2.jpg
Due to the reproductive behavior of female cheetahs, males are unlikely to commit infanticide.

Unlike other African felids, no infanticidal behavior has been observed in the cheetah. [13] Scientists hypothesize that this is because many cheetah litters have cubs from different fathers and males would not want to kill any cubs in case they killed their own. [13] The promiscuity of female cheetahs helps to protect the threatened species not only by preventing infanticide but also by bringing greater genetic diversity. [15] This genetic diversity averts inbreeding from occurring and widens the genetic pool of the species. [15] Nevertheless, cheetah cubs have a remarkably high mortality rate.

Related Research Articles

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The lion is a large cat of the genus Panthera, native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. It is a social species, forming groups called prides. A lion's pride consists of a few adult males, related females, and cubs. Groups of female lions usually hunt together, preying mostly on medium-sized and large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone predator; although some lions scavenge when opportunities occur and have been known to hunt humans, lions typically do not actively seek out and prey on humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheetah</span> Large feline of the genus Acinonyx

The cheetah is a large cat and the fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, with a short snout and black tear-like facial streaks. It reaches 67–94 cm (26–37 in) at the shoulder, and the head-and-body length is between 1.1 and 1.5 m. Adults weigh between 21 and 72 kg. The cheetah is capable of running at 93 to 104 km/h ; it has evolved specialized adaptations for speed, including a light build, long thin legs and a long tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cougar</span> Large species of cat native to the Americas

The cougar, also known as the panther, mountain lion, catamount and puma, is a large cat native to the Americas. It inhabits North, Central and South America, making it the most widely distributed wild, terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the most widespread in the world. Its range spans the Canadian Territory of Yukon, British Columbia and Alberta provinces, the Rocky Mountains and areas in the Western United States. Further south, its range extends through Mexico to the Amazon Rainforest and the southern Andes Mountains in Patagonia. It is an adaptable, generalist species, occurring in most American habitat types. It prefers habitats with dense underbrush and rocky areas for stalking but also lives in open areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common warthog</span> Wild member of the pig family

The common warthog is a wild member of the pig family (Suidae) found in grassland, savanna, and woodland in sub-Saharan Africa. In the past, it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P. aethiopicus, but today that scientific name is restricted to the desert warthog of northern Kenya, Somalia, and eastern Ethiopia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plains zebra</span> Species of zebra

The plains zebra is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. Its range is fragmented, but spans much of southern and eastern Africa south of the Sahara. Six or seven subspecies have been recognised, including the extinct quagga which was thought to be a separate species. More recent research supports variations in zebra populations being clines rather than subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honey badger</span> Species of mammal

The honey badger, also known as the ratel, is a mammal widely distributed in Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Because of its wide range and occurrence in a variety of habitats, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

<i>Ursus</i> (mammal) Genus of bears

Ursus is a genus in the family Ursidae (bears) that includes the widely distributed brown bear, the polar bear, the American black bear, and the Asian black bear. The name is derived from the Latin ursus, meaning bear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striped hyena</span> Species of hyena

The striped hyena is a species of hyena native to North and East Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is the only extant species in the genus Hyaena. It is listed by the IUCN as near-threatened, as the global population is estimated to be under 10,000 mature individuals which continues to experience deliberate and incidental persecution along with a decrease in its prey base such that it may come close to meeting a continuing decline of 10% over the next three generations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown hyena</span> Species of carnivore

The brown hyena, also called strandwolf, is a species of hyena found in Namibia, Botswana, western and southern Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique and South Africa. It is the only extant species in the genus Parahyaena. It is currently the rarest species of hyena. The largest remaining brown hyena population is located in the southern Kalahari Desert and coastal areas in Southwest Africa. The global population of brown hyena is estimated by IUCN at a number between 4,000 and 10,000 and its conservation status is marked as near threatened in the IUCN Red List.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted hyena</span> Species of hyena

The spotted hyena, also known as the laughing hyena, is a hyena species, currently classed as the sole extant member of the genus Crocuta, native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as being of least concern by the IUCN due to its widespread range and large numbers estimated between 27,000 and 47,000 individuals. The species is, however, experiencing declines outside of protected areas due to habitat loss and poaching. Populations of Crocuta, usually considered a subspecies of Crocuta crocuta, known as cave hyenas, roamed across Eurasia for at least one million years until the end of the Late Pleistocene. The spotted hyena is the largest extant member of the Hyaenidae, and is further physically distinguished from other species by its vaguely bear-like build, rounded ears, less prominent mane, spotted pelt, more dual-purposed dentition, fewer nipples, and pseudo-penis. It is the only placental mammalian species where females have a pseudo-penis and lack an external vaginal opening.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape fox</span> Species of carnivore

The Cape fox, also called the asse, cama fox or the silver-backed fox, is a small species of fox, native to southern Africa. It is also called a South African version of a fennec fox due to its similarly big ears. It is the only "true fox" occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, and it retains primitive characteristics of Vulpes because it diverged early in the evolutionary history of the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chacma baboon</span> Species of baboon from the Old World monkey family

The chacma baboon, also known as the Cape baboon, is, like all other baboons, from the Old World monkey family. It is one of the largest of all monkeys. Located primarily in southern Africa, the chacma baboon has a wide variety of social behaviours, including a dominance hierarchy, collective foraging, adoption of young by females, and friendship pairings. These behaviors form parts of a complex evolutionary ecology. In general, the species is not threatened, but human population pressure has increased contact between humans and baboons. Hunting, trapping, and accidents kill or remove many baboons from the wild, thereby reducing baboon numbers and disrupting their social structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fossa (animal)</span> Cat-like, carnivorous mammal endemic to Madagascar

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infanticide (zoology)</span> Killing of young offspring by an adult animal of the same species

In animals, infanticide involves the intentional killing of young offspring by a mature animal of the same species. Animal infanticide is studied in zoology, specifically in the field of ethology. Ovicide is the analogous destruction of eggs. The practice has been observed in many species throughout the animal kingdom, especially primates but including microscopic rotifers, insects, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals. Infanticide can be practiced by both males and females.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African wild dog</span> Endangered species of canine native to Africa

The African wild dog, also known as the painted dog or Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus Lycaon, which is distinguished from Canis by dentition highly specialised for a hypercarnivorous diet and by a lack of dewclaws.

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References

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  2. 1 2 Vincent, Donovan. "When moms kill their young". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
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