The Most Terrifying Cannibalistic Animals

Cannibalism is not a rare phenomenon in the animal kingdom. According to scientists, there are currently over 1,500 species of animals exhibiting cannibalistic behavior. These cannibalistic species can be found both on land and in water.

Sand Tiger Shark

Undoubtedly, sharks are among the most elite predators in nature. They are born with predatory instincts right from the womb.

During breeding season, a mature female sand tiger shark can have 6-7 embryos in her womb, but only one juvenile will survive. The firstborn will consume the other embryos still in their eggs and continues to hunt down unfertilized eggs in the mother’s womb. With a high protein content derived from these initial meals, the newborn can be as long as 3 feet (nearly 1 meter) at birth. With such a physique, even as a juvenile, the sand tiger shark is unafraid of any oceanic creatures.

Meerkat

Meerkats are the most terrifying yet adorable cannibals you might know.

Thanks to the research of behavioral ecologist John Hoogland, we learned that some meerkats exhibit these frightening behaviors. Fortunately, not all of these adorable creatures engage in such acts.

“We find that most females form mating bonds, but very few of them wean” – John Hoogland, who began studying rodents in 1974, stated.

Researchers noted that some females descend into the burrows of related females and often emerge with blood on their faces. “We found that most of the young were eaten beneath there”, Hoogland said.

“The act of females killing the young of other females in the family to increase the survival chances of their own young is an extreme competitive behavior” – Hoogland explained.

In this sense, it truly is a world of mutual predation among meerkats.

Cane Toad

Do cane toads eat each other? Can you believe it?

Cane toads originate from South America. They prefer to eat their own eggs as soon as they detect prey. They are particularly attracted to a protective toxin found in the eggs called bufadienolides. The nutrients from these eggs help them grow and reduce future competition (according to a study by the University of Sydney and James Cook University, 2011).

A study in 2008 found that cane toads continuously wiggled the middle toe of their hind foot to attract prey, including other juvenile cane toads. Researchers conducted experiments with 28 immature cane toads and found that 64% of their 149 prey were other cane toads.

Snake

A study on the Mexican Flat-headed Rattlesnake in 2009 showed that 68% of mothers had eaten their young, including those that died before birth. Researchers believe this could be an action to help the mother snake regain needed nutrients to produce additional litters.

The New York Times (1901) once described a story at the Bronx Zoo where a large female cobra had a penchant for consuming black snakes. This cobra’s voracious appetite made black snakes increasingly rare in the park.

Redback Spider

Male redback spiders sacrifice themselves by climbing onto the female’s mouth during mating and thus transfer their sperm while becoming… a meal for their mate.

Maydianne Andrade from the University of Toronto Scarborough in a 2003 study indicated that male redback spiders that were eaten (65% of cases) mated longer and produced double the number of offspring compared to males that were not eaten.

American Alligator

American Alligators are ready to eat smaller individuals. (Image: Global News).

American alligators feed on a variety of prey, including other alligators. Tammy Shaw, a resident of Port Charlotte, witnessed a large American alligator eating a smaller one at Silver Springs Park in Florida in 2022. Adam Rosenblatt, an assistant professor of biology at the University of North Florida, who specializes in American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) research, stated that this behavior has been occurring for millions of years. Alligators consume smaller animals and use their jaws to tear larger prey into more manageable pieces, a process called “death roll.”

Praying Mantis

The female praying mantis is famous for biting off the head of the male during mating. Despite losing its head, the abdominal ganglia in the mantis’s body keep it alive for several hours and the mating process continues as usual. The male mantis can escape if it jumps quickly off the female’s back right after mating.

Scorpion

Scorpions are solitary creatures. When encountering their own kind, scorpions often engage in fights, and the defeated scorpion will be eaten by its counterpart. About one-fourth of a scorpion’s diet consists of the flesh of other scorpions. Like many spider and insect species, scorpions also cannibalize their mates after mating.

Mormon Crickets

Mormon crickets are closely related to crickets found in North America. They often move in large swarms to search for food. Those crickets that are exhausted and die will immediately become a valuable meal for their kind as their bodies are a significant source of protein and minerals.