Cannibalism in animals

For human cannibalism, see Cannibalism.

In animal science, cannibalism is where an animal eats its own species. Scientists have found more than 1500 species that do this.^[1] It is common with insects, spiders and scorpions. There, the male gets eaten by the female, after having sexual intercourse. Many types of frogs will also eat other frogs of the same species. Even, vertebrates like hedgehogs eat their offspring if stressed.^[2][3]

A female silk spider eating its mate