why do some animals eat their young?

Answer 1

As awful as it sounds some animals eat their young to protect them. They think they are protecting them from a greater threat .... starvation if there is no food available, the threat of predators.....many mammals will eat their young if they think a predator will capture them....I hope this is helpful for you.

Answer 2

Some animals eat their young for a few reasons. Sometimes it is when there is something wrong with them, like when it is a still birth or they have a problem. Other times, if the animal feels threatened, they will eat their young. It is a defense machanism.

Answer 3

While some parents do eat offspring that are not healthy enough there is also other reasons.
The dominate male will kill and some times eat other males offspring, The food sources in the area are depleted so some offspring are then eaten. There are possibly other reasons that we do not know about as yet. Speaking and understanding the language of animals is still a bit beyond us.

Answer 4

In the case of spiders, they don't know their young from any other prey.
As for mammals, they will eat their young if they die, or if they feel threatened, to keep any predators from getting fed. (Of course they don't really know this, it's instinctive.)

Answer 5

Very simply, they are hungry. Many animal species do not have maternal instincts. Easy food is good food. It also is nature's way of keeping populations down....

Answer 6

Laws of nature. "Survival of the fittest".

Answer 7

my opinion is there is something wrong with them and the parent knows it.

Answer 8

CANNIBALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!