7 animals that eat their own kind

Yum.

Half siblings, they're what's for dinner!
(Image credit: ThinkStock/iStockphoto)

1. Sand tiger sharks

The animal kingdom is no stranger to cannibalism, which often manifests itself in brutally merciless ways. One of the most bloodthirsty examples is the sand tiger shark, in which large embryos feast on their puny siblings while still gestating in the womb. Scientists think the strategy allows a pair of baby sharks to grow large enough that other predators will leave them alone once they're born.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Chris Gayomali is the science and technology editor for TheWeek.com. Previously, he was a tech reporter at TIME. His work has also appeared in Men's Journal, Esquire, and The Atlantic, among other places. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.