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Ask HN: Are there examples of animals that beat their children?

by kalu on 3/27/22, 4:58 PM with 5 comments

I read this morning that “a sizable chunk of humanities children were beaten by their parents” in the 18th century. Sure. Seems believable at first. But also grotesque. And I can’t think of a single example of animals beating their children. Am I wrong in concluding that humans are unique in this regard ? What does it say about us ?

  • by ThrowawayR2 on 3/27/22, 5:07 PM

    A rather large number of animals kill and eat their young: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/140328-sl...

    Seems unlikely to be fruitful to look to the animal kingdom as a benchmark for moral purity (and by human standards at that).

  • by sidcool on 3/27/22, 5:03 PM

    Yes. I have seen videos where a lion mother disciplined her cub when the cub tried to eat before the male lion.

    In another video, a chimp or Gorilla father stared down an adolescent when he/she threw dirt on the father.

    I think animals are much more brutal than just beating. Many do infanticide / cannibalism frequently.

  • by policipal on 3/27/22, 5:03 PM

    Lions, Chickens, Hamsters, and polar bears are all known to eat their own offspring. You might say that qualifies. A wide variety of animals to long to list are quite rough with their offspring while being raised. It's the norm rather than the exception.

  • by giantg2 on 3/27/22, 5:34 PM

    "Seems believable at first. But also grotesque."

    Depends on the severity, frequency, and reason. It might not be that grotesque. For example, I was spanked when I was bad. Does that fit the definition?