Meet the worst – and most abusive – parents in the animal kingdom, including cute, but deadly, hamsters that eat their young
Brutal Broods: The Dark Side of Animal Parenting That Will Shock You
Forget bedtime stories and gentle encouragement! In the animal kingdom, parenting is a cutthroat game of survival, and some species employ tactics that are, well, downright disturbing. Get ready to witness the harsh realities of nature’s nursery as we delve into the world of the worst animal parents and their shocking parenting strategies.
From perilous leaps of faith to intrauterine cannibalism, prepare to be amazed and maybe a little disturbed by these extreme examples of raising young.
– Common Guillemots (aka Common Murres): The Cliff Jump of Faith
Think your kid’s first steps were stressful? Imagine pushing them off a cliff! That’s essentially what happens with common guillemots. These seabirds don’t bother building nests, laying their eggs directly on precarious cliff ledges. Then, before their chicks can even fly, the father accompanies them on a death-defying “jump” off the cliff, leading to the nickname “jumplings”! Why the madness? Apparently, they can be fed more effectively at sea than on land. Talk about tough love!
(Image: Common Guillemot colony of seabirds, with Razorbills on rocks on Isle of Canna)
– Harp Seals: Abandoned to the Ice
After enduring a nearly 12-month gestation period (longer than a human!), harp seal mothers give birth on pack ice. The pup gains weight rapidly over 12 days while nursing. And then…poof! Mom disappears, abandoning the vulnerable pup on the ice, unable to hunt or even swim, leaving it at the mercy of the freezing temperatures, polar bears, orcas, and melting ice. It’s a cruel reality in the Arctic.
(Image: Mother and pup harp seal greeting)
– Common Cuckoos: The Ultimate Freeloaders
These birds are the epitome of parasitic parenting. Common cuckoos ditch all responsibility, leaving their eggs in the nests of other birds. The cunning female even removes one of the host’s eggs to avoid detection. If successful, the cuckoo chick hatches, shoves out the other eggs, and demands food from its unwitting foster parents, often growing much larger than them! Talk about taking advantage!
(Image: Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, resting and singing in a tree)
– Brown-Headed Cowbirds: Brood Parasitism on a Grand Scale
Following in the cuckoo’s parasitic footsteps, brown-headed cowbirds lay their eggs in the nests of over 200 different host species. However, their strategy isn’t always successful. The host parents sometimes reject the foreign egg. Or the chick ends up with the wrong diet and dies.
(Image: Brown-Headed Cowbird looking for food)
– Giant Pandas: Survival of the Fittest, Panda Style
Giant panda mothers are devoted…to one cub. If twins are born (which happens half the time), the mother focuses all her attention on the stronger cub, leaving the weaker one to perish. It’s a brutal reality driven by limited resources. Zoos often intervene, swapping cubs to ensure both get attention, but in the wild, it’s a harsh lesson in survival of the fittest.
(Image: A giant panda cub plays alongside its mother)
– Hamsters: When Stress Turns Deadly
A stressed hamster mother can be a dangerous thing. If she’s feeling overwhelmed, she might turn on her pups, killing and even eating them! While more common in captivity, this grim behavior can also occur in the wild, potentially due to poor diet and nutritional deficiencies.
(Image: European hamster/Maxim Yakovlev, Rewildling Europe)
– Nazca Boobies: Sibling Rivalry…With Parental Encouragement
These birds take sibling rivalry to a whole new level. If a Nazca booby lays two eggs, the older chick will push the younger one out of the nest to die. Shockingly, the parents sometimes participate, pecking and stomping on the younger chick. Why lay a second egg at all? It’s an insurance policy, in case the first egg fails.
(Image: A Nazca booby (Sula granti) and its brood are seen at the Sanctuary of Fauna and Flora Malpelo)
– Hoopoes: Extra Chicks for a Snack Later
Hoopoes will lay extra eggs when food is plentiful. But these extra chicks don’t necessarily get to grow up. The parents actually feed these chicks to their older siblings! Think of it as a handy, on-demand snack bar for the favored offspring.
(Image: Eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops) perched on a brach near the Castrejon Reservoir)
– Sand Tiger Sharks: Intrauterine Cannibalism
Perhaps the most extreme example of all, female sand tiger sharks engage in intrauterine cannibalism. After mating, up to 50 embryos develop in each of the two uterine horns. The largest embryo then devours all the others, a process called “adelphophagy” (eating one’s brother). It then feeds on unfertilized eggs. Talk about starting at the top!
(Image: Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus))
– Barn Owls: Family Dinner (Sometimes Includes Family)
While beautiful, the barn owl is a ruthless hunter. But sometimes the prey is closer to home. If food is scarce, older chicks may kill and eat their younger siblings. And in extreme cases, parents might kill and eat their own chicks if hunting is impossible. Talk about tough times!
These examples show that “parenting” in the animal kingdom is a complex and often brutal game. It highlights the desperate measures some species take to ensure the survival of at least some of their offspring. It’s a far cry from the nurturing ideals we often associate with parenthood, but it’s a stark reminder of the harsh realities of nature.
Image credit: Photo by Geranimo on Unsplash | Source: Original Article
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