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Infanticide in Zoos and the Wild
Context:
A recent incident at a zoo in Siliguri, West Bengal, has highlighted the occurrence of infanticide among animals, particularly in captivity.
Infanticide, the act of killing young offspring, is a phenomenon observed in both the wild and captivity. While it may seem shocking, this behaviour has deep evolutionary roots and is influenced by various biological and environmental factors. Understanding the reasons behind infanticide can help improve animal welfare and management practices in zoos and conservation efforts in the wild.
Background:
- A tigress named Rika killed her three newborn cubs while carrying them in her mouth, leading to fatal injuries (damaged windpipes and skull). The deaths were described as “accidental.” Rika had previously struggled with her first litter.
- Kika’s Previous Losses: Rika’s sister, Kika, lost both her cubs last year—one died shortly after birth, and Kika abandoned the second, causing severe malnutrition.
Infanticide in Mythology:
- In ancient Sparta, weak and deformed newborns were abandoned at the Apothetae, a site on Mount Taygetus, a practice described by the philosopher Plutarch.
- In Greek mythology, Cronus, fearing a prophecy that one of his children would overthrow him, devoured his newborns. Zeus escaped by being substituted with a rock, which Cronus swallowed instead.
- Additionally, the myths of Oedipus and Perseus centre on the abandonment of infants, driven by fears that they posed threats to their fathers or grandfathers.
Why Does Infanticide Occur?
- Resource Competition: In the wild, parents may kill their offspring during times of resource scarcity to ensure survival of the fittest or to preserve energy for future reproduction.
- Social Hierarchy and Mating Strategies: Males in certain species, such as lions and langurs, kill infants sired by rival males to bring females back into estrus, enabling them to reproduce with the new dominant male.
- Stress and Environmental Factors: In captive environments like zoos, stress caused by limited space, human interference, or unnatural groupings can lead to such behaviour.
- Parental Inexperience: First-time parents may lack the skills to care for their offspring, resulting in unintentional harm or outright rejection of the young.
Notable Cases of Infanticide and Abandonment in Zoos:
- 2018: Lion cub abandoned by mother Sruti in Kolkata Zoo due to underweight.
- 2013: Leopard Basanti abandoned her cub after 32 days in Jamshedpur Zoo.
- 2020: Leopard Harshini killed her cub in Jhargram Zoo after six weeks.
- 2022: Tigress Meena killed her weak cub in Gwalior Zoo.
- 2023: Sumatran tigress Zayana killed one cub after a stillbirth in Auckland Zoo.
Infanticide in the Wild vs. Captivity:
- In the wild, infanticide is often a natural part of the ecosystem and plays a role in population control and genetic propagation.
- For example, among wild lions, when a new male takes over a pride, he may kill cubs fathered by the previous male to ensure his genes dominate the pride’s next generation.
- In zoos, however, the behaviour is less understood and often criticised due to the controlled conditions. Limited space and altered social dynamics in captivity can heighten aggression, leading to unnatural cases of infanticide.
Ethical Implications and Management Challenges:
Zoos are often caught in a dilemma between preserving natural animal behaviours and adhering to public expectations of animal welfare. To mitigate such incidents, experts recommend:
- Designing enclosures that mimic natural habitats to reduce stress.
- Monitoring behavioural cues closely to anticipate potential aggression.
- Providing adequate training for staff to handle complex social dynamics.
