Top 10 Cannibalistic Creatures

Cannibalism occurs within the animal world for a number of reasons, whether it be for a lack of available food or for species survival. The red squirrel occasionally engages in cannibalistic behavior for a different reason, however: parentage. Some male species of the North American red squirrel will consume babies that aren’t their own, in an effort to mate again with a female. That same squirrel will then ensure that other males don’t mate with the same mother. This ensures that the entire, new litter of baby squirrels retains a certifiable paternity.

The usual diet of a grey seal primarily consists of small fish and crustaceans. However, these otherwise beautiful animals can get downright ugly, should their habitat be short on calories. Other species of seals aren’t safe from a hungry grey, and the same even goes for the younger and weaker of the grey seal pod. Live Science and Science Direct both reported on a 2019 study from the Journal of Sea Research that documented how an adult grey seal consumed the blubber of a smaller, younger member of its own species. The study commented upon the caloric density of seal blubber, and how this cannibalistic behavior may occur when food for the pod is scarce.

The story of how the small and humble shrimp resorts to cannibalism is one that feels straight out of a horror movie. The act is actually quite common within shrimp that have become victims of a parasite known as Pleistophora[a] mulleri. This infection is somewhat similar to a rabid tapeworm, in that it siphons off the shrimp’s food, which in turn pushes the creature to eat basically anything in its path. These diseased shrimp then take on a pale and lifeless appearance, shambling slowly through the ocean with all of the energy of an underwater zombie. Yikes.

The cannibalistic behavior of the sand tiger shark is one that takes place before these fish have even left the womb. It’s known as intrauterine cannibalism, whereby each of the gestating embryos consume each other, until the strongest emerge from the mother shark. It’s the grossest sort of “survival of the fittest” we can imagine, but wait - the sand tiger shark hasn’t finished. This species doesn’t normally continue this behavior once fully grown, but the sand tiger shark has been known to consume other kinds of sharks, should there be food scarcity in their area.

Hmmm…how else can we say this? Hippos are jerks. Don’t get us wrong, we love to admire these beasts from a safe distance. However, the hippopotamus can sometimes be a violent animal that will attack zebras, other hippos and even people, if provoked. A bloat of hippos can also be thinned down via a process scientists have described as “strategic infanticide.” This is a cannibalistic process similar to that of the red squirrel, and is done to ensure proper parentage. Elsewhere, hippos are also known to cannibalize hippo carrion, should there be a severe lack of food in their area.

This entry is one of the best known examples of cannibalism within the animal kingdom. The mating process between black widow spiders does NOT historically go down well for the male of the species. The female will make herself a “widow” by devouring the male. This can even occur while the sex act is still an ongoing occurrence! Males, for their part, behave in different ways. Some leap off from the female immediately after copulation, while still others lean into the process. In this “copulatory self-sacrifice,” the male willingly succumbs to the female, in order to foster the strongest spiderlings. Male Australian redback spiders suffer a similar fate. Contrast that with baby desert spiders, who eat their mother after hatching.

Man, we really hope Mufasa didn’t engage in this sort of behavior. There’s no such thing as a blended family when it comes to the pride of lions. Male lions that are heading a new pride don’t take on any male cubs that have been sired by the mothers. These juveniles are killed by the head male, and occasionally even cannibalized. This is done so that the new pride leader can mate with the female, ensuring that the new litter of cubs will be his, and his alone. Maybe Scar had a reason for hating Mufasa…

Aw, say it ain't so! Don’t ruin those cute, cuddly Coca-Cola bears for us! Alas, it’s true: the mighty polar bear does engage in cannibalism. It’s also, sadly, a more frequent occurrence, particularly when it comes to males of the species. A battle between two male polar bears can frequently result in the winner consuming his spoils. A 2020 article from The Guardian referenced how stress from human interference within the polar bears’ habitat might have contributed to an uptick in cannibal cases. Whatever the reasoning, we’d prefer to not bear witness to nature’s dark side.

This entry, like the black widow spider, is among those that are better known for their cannibalistic tendencies. The sex act between praying mantises possesses a similarly grim end for the males, who are frequently devoured after consummation. Scientists surmise that this act of “sexual cannibalism” is done so that the female will become more fertile, and breed a larger amount of eggs. This is probably little comfort to the male, whose entire body is sometimes consumed by the female, once the deed is done. Maybe mom just needs the nutrients?

It’s sort of fitting that one of humanity’s closest animal relatives, the chimpanzee, is occasionally connected with the act of cannibalism. It’s a somewhat rare occurrence, and one that falls under reasons which we’ve previously discussed in this video. Some male chimps will devour newborns, should their parentage be unclear. This is sometimes down to established breeding dominance over other males, and to increase copulatory opportunities with females. Elsewhere, National Geographic reported in 2017 how a former leader of a chimpanzee social circle was killed and partially cannibalized by others of his kind.


Is it better to just not know about this grim side of the animal kingdom? Or are you fascinated by some of this behavior? Sound off in the comments.