Lions, North American grizzly bears, and male perch are considered some of the worst fathers due to their willingness to kill or consume their young.
Lions
Male lions are quite irresponsible regarding hunting and caring for their offspring. (Photo: iStock).
Male lions, who hold the leadership role, often kill all the cubs of the previous leader. Father lions typically spend most of the day lying in the shade, waiting for lionesses to bring food. The lionesses are responsible for hunting and caring for the cubs, while the male’s duty is to protect their territory from rival prides and scavengers such as hyenas. Male lions are always the first to eat from a kill, leaving only scraps for the remaining pride members, including their own cubs. In harsh conditions, the dominant lion will let his mate and cubs starve first.
North American Grizzly Bears
Few species in the animal kingdom will eat their young unless absolutely necessary, but male North American grizzly bears will do just that. They have extremely high territorial instincts, capable of defending ranges up to 2,400 km, and are opportunistic hunters, ready to kill and consume anything that enters their territory, including their own cubs. This means that mother bears not only have to provide food and teach their cubs to survive but also ensure that the cubs never wander into their father’s territory.
Male Perch
Even species known for their protective instincts, like male perch, can easily consume their own young. This behavior occurs after most of the young fish swim away, leaving only a few behind. The father perch suddenly stops guarding the remaining fry from predators and devours all the slowest swimming young as a reward for helping the stronger individuals survive.
Sandy Gobies
Male sandy gobies often choose to eat the largest eggs in the brood. (Photo: NBC).
Similarly, male sandy gobies continuously guard the eggs from predators, but even when ample food is available, they still consume about one-third of the brood. Research reveals that male sandy gobies decide which eggs to keep or eat based on size. Male sandy gobies tend to eat the largest eggs. In many species, larger fry mean higher survival chances, making them the most vital members for protection in the family. However, sandy gobies understand that the largest eggs require the longest incubation time. Eating the longest-incubating eggs allows them to emerge quickly and return to mating as soon as possible.
Assassin Bugs
Father assassin bugs are tasked with protecting the eggs until they hatch. Their strategy primarily involves consuming the eggs on the periphery of the egg mass, which are more likely to fall victim to parasitic wasps. This self-defense tactic is so effective that assassin bugs can completely avoid any potential parasites in the lab. Scientists believe that eating eggs is not only the only way to defend against parasites but also provides nutrition for male assassin bugs when they cannot crawl away to find food.
