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Why parrots sometimes adopt — or kill — each other’s babies

A team of biologists has discovered that green-rumped parrotlets engage in both infanticide and adoption behaviors, driven by competition for nesting sites. Adoption is found to be a non-violent means of getting genes into the next generation, with males who adopted unrelated offspring going on to nest with widowed females.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateMay 6, 2024

A pair of brain regions prompts females to kill or care for their young

A new study in mice reveals that a middle-brain region controls aggression towards young animals, while another region promotes maternal behavior. The findings suggest that the brain mechanism behind infanticide by women may be similar to that in males.

SourceNYU Langone Health / NYU Grossman School of Medicine·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 7, 2023
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Infanticide by mammalian mothers

Infanticide by female mammals removes potential competitors for breeding space, milk, and social status. Researchers found that harsh conditions and territorial needs drive this behavior in various mammalian species.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London (B )·DateJul 14, 2019

Research identifies key driver for infanticide among chimpanzees

Researchers found that adult males were responsible for most infanticides in a Ugandan chimpanzee community, with victims often under one week old. The study suggests that the sexual selection hypothesis is the key driver behind this high rate of infant killings.

SourceUniversity of Kent·JournalPrimates·DateJun 13, 2019

Deciphering infanticide

Research by Harvard University's Catherine Dulac reveals that male mice engage in infanticide due to a combination of sensory cues, including the shape of pups and specific pheromone signals. These signals allow males to identify newborn infants and recognize their need for nurturing versus protection from attack.

SourceHarvard University·JournalCell·DateDec 18, 2018

Female chimpanzees know which males are most likely to kill their babies

Researchers found that mothers adjust their behavior when a mid-ranking male rapidly rises in rank, reducing association with him and seeking stable high-rank males for protection. This highlights the females' sensitivity to the relative risks posed by different males to their infants.

SourceUniversity of Kent·JournalAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology·DateOct 18, 2018
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Study provides video evidence of parental infanticide in a grassland bird species

A new study from the University of Illinois provides video evidence of parental infanticide in dickcissel birds, challenging existing assumptions about this phenomenon. The researchers observed a female parent removing her own chick from the nest, raising questions about the ecological and evolutionary implications.

SourceUniversity of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences·JournalThe Wilson Journal of Ornithology·DateApr 19, 2018

Baby monkeys grow faster to avoid being killed by adult males

A study by University of Toronto researchers found that baby monkeys in groups with higher risks of infanticide develop faster. This accelerated growth may be triggered by stress hormones in maternal milk, allowing mothers and infants to better survive.

SourceUniversity of Toronto·JournalAnimal Behaviour·DateMar 17, 2016
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Switching on paternal behavior

A study in mice reveals that specific brain areas control paternal versus infanticidal behavior. The activation patterns of these areas determine whether a male mouse will show caring or aggressive behavior towards newborn pups. This discovery could have implications for understanding societal problems such as child-directed aggression...

SourceEMBO·JournalThe EMBO Journal·DateSep 30, 2015

Mongooses synchronize births to escape despotic females

In a study on banded mongooses, researchers found that older, dominant females kill entire litters if they did not contribute to them, but allow communal litters with their own young to survive. This coordination is crucial for the group's productivity.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 23, 2013

Infanticide linked to wet-nursing in meerkats

Researchers found that subordinate female meerkats who have recently lost litters or been evicted are more likely to wet-nurse the dominant female's pups. This behavior may provide a survival benefit for the nursed offspring and the mother of the pups, allowing the subordinate female to remain in the group.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalAnimal Behaviour·DateOct 7, 2013

Evolution of monogamy in humans the result of infanticide risk

The study reveals that male infanticide is the key driver of monogamy in humans and other primates. By caring for young, fathers can protect infants from rival males and share childcare burdens. This leads to a reduction in infant dependency and allows females to reproduce more quickly.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 29, 2013
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A murder in the magpie's nest

Researchers found a rare case of non-parental infanticide in the black-billed magpie, where an adult bird attacked and killed nestlings. The suspected perpetrator was a female parent from a neighboring nest, due to aggressive interactions and territorial expansion.

SourceLaboratory of Behavioral Ecology and Evolution at Seoul National University·JournalJournal of Ethology·DateJul 10, 2011

Competition between females leads to infanticide in some primates

In a study of moustached tamarins, researchers found that 75% of infants survive with male help, but only 41.7% without. Female infanticide occurs when mothers kill their own offspring due to social competition and high levels of prenatal stress.

SourceSpanish Foundation for Science and Technology·JournalPrimates·DateJun 8, 2011

Was SIDS the cause of infant deaths even 150 years ago?

A study suggests that 19th century infant deaths attributed to smothering and overlaying were likely caused by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The analysis of mortality schedules from 1850-1880 found that these deaths shared similar characteristics with known SIDS cases, including age, gender, and racial patterns.

SourceSpringer·JournalHuman Ecology·DateJul 14, 2009

Scatological clues lead to an intimate view

Researchers discover annual increase in anxiety and stress among male sifaka concurrent with birthing, suggesting complex social dynamics. The study found significant rise in stress-related hormones in male sifaka feces during the birth season.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte·DateMar 3, 2009
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Female-led infanticide in wild chimpanzees

Researchers report instances of three female-led infanticidal attacks in wild chimpanzee community, challenging the notion that infanticide is a male-dominated behavior. The findings suggest that deadly aggression may be part of the female behavior repertoire, possibly driven by demographic shifts and increased competition for resources.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateMay 14, 2007

Oxford biologists explore ability for some females to conceive during pregnancy

The female European badger's ability to conceive during pregnancy is enabled by a reproductive strategy called embryonic diapause and superfetation. This unique trait allows females to mate with multiple males, benefiting them regardless of social system, according to Oxford biologists.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalThe Quarterly Review of Biology·DateMar 8, 2006

Repeated unexpected infant deaths most likely to be from natural causes

A recent study analyzed 6373 infants who completed a support program for parents experiencing SIDS. The findings suggest that most second and third unexpected infant deaths are due to natural causes. Eighty to ninety percent of cases were determined to be natural, with the remaining ten percent having unclear or suspicious circumstances.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateDec 30, 2004
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