Infanticide refers to the murder of young by the parents in the animal kingdom, this type of behaviour has been noted in species such as lions, chimpanzees and even people. Many males within some species have been known to force their way into the alpha-male role and effectively result to killing any young that had been fathered by the previous alpha (Emlen, S. T., et al, 1989). This has been thought to have caused a return of sexual activity in females while increasing the fitness of the new male; the event of a committed infanticide serves some useful purposes. In the new domain of the uprisen alpha, the reproductive cycle in the females is sped up so that they are ready to mate again sooner than they would be if their previous young had been permitted to live (Crook, J. R., Sheilds, W. M., 1985).
Emlen, S. T., Demong, N. J. & Emlen, D. J. 1989. ‘Experimental induction of infanticide in female wattled jacanas’. Auk 106: 1-7.
Crook, J. R., Sheilds, W. M., 1985. ‘Sexually selected infanticide by adult male barn swallows’. Animal Behaviour 33: 754–761.
