# What Animals Have No Natural Enemies **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 11, 1999, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231 "1999-09-11T20:47:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 1999, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/1 "1999-09-11T20:47:00Z")
Not counting humans as enemies, AND assuming the animal is full grown and healthy I can only think of a few. Gorilla Elephant Alligator Bear (Grizzly or Polar) I was thinking lions have hyena packs that can kill a full grown lion. Maybe Hippos, Rhinos and Giraffes? Any other ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 1999, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/2 "1999-09-11T20:56:00Z")
Tiger Snow Leopard (I think the others have enemies, thus them pulling carcasses up into trees) Camel Monitor Lizard I’ll agree with you about hippo, giraffe and rhino. I’m sure there’s a lot more, just too lazy to think up the entire food chain. * * * “I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Bluepony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Bluepony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluepony)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 1999, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/3 "1999-09-11T22:00:00Z")
Hmmm…I’m no natural history major so here’s my WAGs. Great white sharks Most birds of prey Killer whales Crocodiles (technically different from gators) Anacondas Wolverines Wolves Blue whales Whale sharks Large cows with machine guns Penguins in PT Boats (okay…now I’m reaching, I’ll just end this) * * * “…send lawyers, guns, and money…” ``` Warren Zevon ``` ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 1999, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/4 "1999-09-11T22:46:00Z")
The mighty flea, enemy to most animals. 🙂 Prace, mangeorge * * * Work like you don’t need the money… Love like you’ve never been hurt… Dance like nobody’s watching! …(Paraphrased) ---
**Author:** ![RTA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 1999, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/5 "1999-09-11T22:57:00Z")
Many species that have been imported to a place they did not evolve have no natural enemies. Which is why they can devastate ecosystems. This happens a lot on, say, South Pacific islands where animals like pigs and housecats cause a lot of problems with the native species. ---
**Author:** ![Ken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/cc9497/32.png) [@Ken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 1999, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/6 "1999-09-11T22:57:00Z")
Don’t forget about the sheep that give us steel wool. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 1999, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/7 "1999-09-11T23:10:00Z")
> [@](#): > > The mighty flea, enemy to most animals. "So, naturalists observe, a flea Hath smaller fleas that on him prey; And these have smaller still to bite 'em; And so proceed _ad infinitim_ – Jonathan Swift (And, yes, fleas have parasites that prey on them.) * * * [www.sff.net/people/rothman](http://www.sff.net/people/rothman) ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 1999, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/8 "1999-09-11T23:39:00Z")
Crows and ravens ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/9 "1999-09-12T01:01:00Z")
Crows And Ravens? No, mink kill them, & I’ve seen it happen, so give me no shit. Otters, however; they have no natural enemies. * * * We have met the enemy, and He is Us.–Walt Kelly ---
**Author:** ![BenDover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c77e96/32.png) [@BenDover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BenDover)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/10 "1999-09-12T02:44:00Z")
Depends on what you mean by ‘natural enemies’. Prey animals have natural enemies in the predators that live off of them. Few predators have natural enemies - their lives are risky enough as it is - but occasionally conflicts over shared food sources arise, as with hyenas and lions. Some predators are prey themselves when young - for example, baby alligators are eaten by fish, birds, turtles, etc. that may, in turn, become the prey of adult alligators. Actually, all living creatures have ‘natural enemies’ - disease-causing organisms such as bacteria and viruses. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Iron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Big\_Iron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Iron)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/11 "1999-09-12T04:55:00Z")
[[Crows And Ravens? No, mink kill them, & I’ve seen it happen, so give me no shit.]]Daniel Bostaph Great Horned Owls will also prey on crows. ---
**Author:** ![Jorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@Jorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/12 "1999-09-12T05:31:00Z")
Most of the ones you all have cited as not having natural enemies do… tiger cubs, alligators (babies & eggs), etc… Gotta be more specific. One of the few I can think of: albatrosses have no natural enemies, not even the eggs or hatchlings. (The No.Pacific varieties, anyway, nesting on Midway and Laysan…) * * * “Proverbs for Paranoids, 3: If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about answers.” - T.Pynchon, _Gravity’s Rainbow_. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/13 "1999-09-12T06:57:00Z")
I’m glad to find out that crows have some predators. Unfortunately, suburban Southern California is low on owls and minks. I guess a really ornery cat could go after a crow, but I think it would be a tough battle. Who preys on the pigeon? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/14 "1999-09-12T08:04:00Z")
Hey Jorge, you may want to reread the OP. > [@](#): > > Not counting humans as enemies, AND assuming the animal is full grown and healthy I can only think of a few. As for what animals, well most of the large animals mentioned fit the bill, but I guess its not an exact science. Water Buffalo who are full grown and healthy are pretty safe, but I wouldn’t say they have no natural enemies. I guess a better question is what species have no natural predators in their environment. Here, most of the big cats fit becuase AFAIK only the kittens fall prey to hyenas and jackals. Giraffes are safe once they are grown, but thats because they are too big to be killed not because lions won’t do it. Pigeons in cities have not predators, but in the wild they do, do they count? In Australia many introduced animals have no predators, but in their original climes they do. Consideration of these situations is confusing. Komodo(?) Dragons have no predators. Do canibalistic animals count? Black Widows have no predators I am aware of except their own. Humans have no enemies by some accounts. A bear or lion may kill us, but they don’t prey on us. Cattle and Buffalo probably didn’t, but what things were like before domestication is beyond me. Coral isn’t eaten I don’t believe, but I could be wrong. Tigers, Dolphins, Vultures, Condors, and Horses ---
**Author:** ![AuraSeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AuraSeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuraSeer)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/15 "1999-09-12T09:25:00Z")
Dolphins are occasionally attacked by sharks. Coral is eaten by the parrotfish, plus lots of other things. Horses usually lack predators for the same reason that Yorkshire Terriers do; they’re domesticated, so we humans keep their enemies away. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/16 "1999-09-12T10:14:00Z")
Pigeons, most of our barn cats have brought down full grown, healthy pigeons, don’t they have stray cats in the city anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/17 "1999-09-12T11:27:00Z")
Deer in North America. Only controlled by the CAR. Hunters are less useful in population control. Other than wiping out each other. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/18 "1999-09-12T13:25:00Z")
Most of the smaller cats are subject to attacks by lions and hyenas. Hyena packs have attacked lions. Lions attack cheetah’s and leopards. The Great Horned Owl has been known to attack eagles. Lions will attack water buffalos. (usally not a smart move by the lions but I just saw this on nature. It took the lions a long time to overpower the female buffalo). ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/19 "1999-09-12T19:55:00Z")
Actually, the original post is kind of stupid. Nothing exists independent of the food chain. Even ‘healthy’ animals fall prey to diseases like viruses. Man him/herself has many ‘natural’ predators. To try and isolate the issue in terms of whether any animal ‘preys’ on a species is to take a very limited view of the interrelationship of the whole. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231/20 "1999-09-12T20:26:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Pigeons in cities have not predators, but in the wild they do, do they > count? In Australia many introduced animals have no predators, but in > their original climes they do. Consideration of these situations is > confusing. Some peregrine falcons make their nests on the ledges of tall buildings. In fact, until recently, a pair would return year after year to nest upon the Joseph Smith Building in downtown Salt Lake City. Their main food was sparrows and pigeons. * * * \>^,^\< KITTEN Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animals-have-no-natural-enemies/3231.md?page=2)