# Do any 2 animals regularly prey on each other? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313 "2011-06-21T17:44:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/21 "2011-06-22T14:08:51Z")
There’s these two [ancient species](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCYvPUChnIo)… ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/22 "2011-06-22T14:24:40Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > Don’t predator species make a lousy choice of meat for another predator (as opposed to a scavenger)? For humans at least, I’ve read that eating the liver of a lion or polar bear is a Very Bad Idea. I don’t know about the lion’s liver, but a polar bear’s liver is toxic to humans because of the massive quantities of vitamin A. However, I was under the impression that this was due to it being an acrtic creature rather than a predator ---
**Author:** ![Cryptic\_C62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cryptic\_C62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cryptic_C62)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/23 "2011-06-22T19:52:51Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Yes, but is the snake the mongoose eats the same species as the snake that eats the mongoose? Snakes are snakes. When a mongoose sees a snake, he doesn’t say “Hmm, that coloration pattern is not the same as the previous snake that I ate. I wonder if this is a different species…” He says “Look, a snake!” Followed shortly thereafter by “Mushrooms, mushrooms!” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/24 "2011-06-22T20:27:25Z")
Polygoose might not care about coloration patterns, but I’m sure they care about size. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/25 "2011-06-22T20:35:05Z")
I’ve read that mongoose will avoid certain snakes as too dangerous, e.g., the black mamba. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/26 "2011-06-22T20:54:35Z")
I think what we’re talking about here is a form of [biological competition](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition_(biology)), which according to the link is not a stable situation. Eventually one or both of the organism succumbs to the harmful effects, and stability is restored. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/27 "2011-06-22T21:05:39Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > I’ve seen footage of Buffalo chasing lion cubs. However, I’m very dubious about the concept of a vengeful Elephant on the hunt. A proper cite would be interesting. Still looking for a proper cite. I see anecdotes about male elephants killing lions, and elephants used for hunting lions by people. This is an extraordinary bit of video though;[lions taking down an adult elephant](http://www.theanimalsvideo.com/documentary/elephant-hunting-lions-in-the-documentary/). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/28 "2011-06-22T22:37:42Z")
Just for the record, I’m not going to stand by the original claim. I certainly heard it, but you’uns are right not to just take my word on it, as I don’t have a cite. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/29 "2011-06-22T22:44:15Z")
I’ve heard and read the anecdote more than once. But anecdotes don’t equal fact. I’ve heard several times, and can probably find cites for, the ‘crocodile bird’ that enters the open mouth of a croc to eat parasites. Recently I saw an article listing that as non-factual. Searching for ‘elephants hunting lions’ gives me tons of hits for ‘lions hunting elephants’. Not much help. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313/30 "2011-06-23T01:33:49Z")
> [@Cryptic\_C62](#): > > Also, [here](http://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/fal/detail/157/55504)’s a study of mutual predation (the technical term for the phenomenon being discussed) between various species of scuds. I’ll be damned. Never knew there was a scud other than a missile. Lousy sounding name, though. Whoever named 'em must’ve not liked 'em. “Scud.” Heh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-2-animals-regularly-prey-on-each-other/586313.md?page=1)