Viewers of BBC Springwatch have demanded an age restriction on the nature program after it aired “brutal” scenes of a peregrine eating its own chick.
Cannibalism and infanticide are uncommon among peregrine falcons – but there are several reasons why they can occur.
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The video shows a mother peregrine trying to feed her cubs.
When one of the cubs has difficulty feeding, the father begins to tear pieces of its flesh.
The distressed mother then kills the cub, ending its suffering, before swallowing the baby whole.
The macabre scenes prompted many viewers to take to social media to warn others about the supposedly peaceful wildlife show.
“Springwatch is brutal,” one viewer he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“The Peregrine Falcon’s father starts eating his own chick; the mother finishes the job. 18 certificates.”
Other added: “Dear God, the peregrine nest footage at Springwatch tonight was awful.”
“Well, that Peregrine isn’t going to win any ‘Father of the Year’ awards! #Springwatch,” a third viewer continuous.
While a fourth chimed in, saying: “Watch #springwatch on iPlayer to calm down before bed: sign of massacre of baby chiffchaffs, peregrine chick cannibalized by parents and small mouse still alive being pecked to death by baby kestrels”
Explained: Cannibalism in the wild
Eating one’s children is known as filial cannibalism – and it’s more common than most people think.
Species that practice filial cannibalism include leopards, African lions, Tonkean monkeys, and many species of fish.
It often occurs when a child is sick, deformed or born in conditions where the parents cannot provide food.
If a baby doesn’t survive – or will soon die – the body can become a vital nutrient for the parents.
Filial cannibalism can even happen before the offspring is born, while it is still an egg.
For example, if a cod lays about five million eggs, it could use some of its offspring as a nutritious, non-threatening food source.
Cannibalistic peregrine falcons
While cannibalism may be common among other species, it is not typical among peregrine falcons, according to experts.
Although a peregrine parent may sense something wrong with its calf and so make the decision to kill it before nature takes its course.
In the example shown in Springwatch, the cub was not eating properly and so the father may have taken this as a sign that he was unwell.
Brood reduction can also happen when a parent bird kills some of its young to ensure the survival of others.
It can also be a sign of rejection by the parents if for some reason they believe the puppy is not theirs.
But in this case, it appears that the calf came to an end because of an inexperienced male.
Springwatch co-host Chris Packham said the most likely theory is that it was a mistake on the male peregrine’s part, as this was his first attempt at breeding.
“We looked very carefully at some feathers on its wing, and this is a micro detail, and we showed this to some peregrine experts and they spotted these little feathers that indicate this bird could be two years old,” he explained on the program. .
“It’s not absolutely certain… and if that was the case, then maybe he just went back to the nest, the chick wasn’t moving, he wanted to feed the other one, he was a little confused [and] inexperienced. Maybe that’s what happened.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
