These Nine Animal Kingdom Moms Are the Worst

Maybe you have days when you think you’re a bad mom. You let your child watch too much TV, eat endless sugar, and have no interest getting down on the floor and playing. Great news -  you’re not the worst! Far from it. These moms – they’re really, really bad and will make you feel great about what you’re doing.

1. House Sparrows

With stories that would make any true crime show compelling, house sparrows do not tolerate infidelity. Mama house sparrow hunts down the nest of other mama birds her partner mated with and kill the babies, ensuring her baby daddy will be around to help with the parenting.

2. Rabbits

Feel like you’re neglecting your child? You can’t be worse than a rabbit. Yep, those adorable symbols of Easter give birth, then take a hike. They hop by the borrows just for a few minutes every day and in less than a month, leave their precious babies to fend for themselves. We’re think there might some bunnies with abandonment issues out there.

3. Black Bears

Baby black bears suffer if they’re born an only child. While usually the mom births two or three cubs, if she only gives birth to one, she leaves it to die. It’s simply not worth her time or energy to raise just one baby. We’ve heard of people wanting twins, but this is pretty extreme.

4. Black Eagles

Fighting children can drive any mama mad, but black eagles take it to the extreme. When siblings are fighting they often do so until one kills the other, all while mom watches, but never interferes.

5. Skinks

Skinks are lizards, and, as we know, reptiles generally lay eggs. They have a long gestation period, which makes their eggs easy prey for hungry mongoose. If a predator gets too close to a skink’s nest, mama will eat her own eggs to prevent the animal from getting them. Not sure how that solves anything…

6. Panda Bears

Unlike the black bear who won’t care for an only child, panda bears prefer it. They often give birth to twins, but mama will choose the stronger one to nurture, while leaving the other to die. Harsh, mom, harsh.

7. Harp Seals

For 12 whole days, mom is undeniably dedicated and nurses her young. In fact, during that time she doesn’t eat a thing. Then, she’s outta there, leaving her babies alone on the ice, unable to fend for themselves. They can’t even swim yet. After six long weeks during which harp seals lose half their body weight, the pups are finally mature enough to being hunting for food, but 30% will die in their first year.

8. Cuckoo Birds

Mama cuckoos want no part of parenting. In fact, they lay their eggs in the nests of another bird, and then they’re off, never to return. The cuckoos eggs hatch earlier and her babies grow faster than the adoptive bird’s real offspring, and baby cuckoo forces the smaller birds out of the nest to die. Those are families you don’t want to mess with.

9. Burying Beetles

While human babies cry for food, we also anticipate hunger and feed them when we know it’s time. Not burying beetle mamas. As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. When these creatures feast on a mouse carcass, if there’s not enough meat, those who don’t get mama’s attention simply don’t get any food.

We all have those days when we think we’re the worst mom on the planet. Rest assured, you’re doing just fine.

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