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Note: This is an example for my Grade 6/7 class.

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Note: This is an example for my Grade 6/7 class.

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This will be their final project for our non-fiction literature circles using the Top 10 series.

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Cannibalism is "the practice of eating the flesh of your own kind".

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Cannibalism does not generally mean eating yourself.

However, this cartoon is awfully cute especially for such a gruesome topic!

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Brought to you by Hank Green.

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Evolution doesn't care about ethics - it cares about surviving and getting your alleles out there as much as possible. From that perspective, cannibalism can seem like a pretty good idea to some creatures. Hank introduces us to three different types of animal cannibalism, and tells us about some of the species that practice them.

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Pregnant female Sand Tiger Sharks have two wombs full of eggs. They carry these eggs for two years until they are ready to hatch. The first baby to hatch in each womb eats all the other eggs and embryos for nutrients, meaning these two pups eat their unborn brothers and sisters!

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A few advantages of this strange behaviour include:

- getting nutrients right away

- learning how to hunt in a safe environment

- becoming big and powerful

Ultimately, eating their brothers and sisters ensures their survival.

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What makes a behaviour bizarre according to the book The 10 Most Bizarre Animal Behaviours?

Well, the authors believe a bizarre behaviour is:

1. seemingly atypical animal behaviour

2. extremely rare

3. really gross

4. dangerous to the animal

5. essential to animal's survival

6. difficult for us to relate to

7. unique to one species

8. a survival of the fittest situation

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Does the Sand Tiger Shark's cannibalism meet this criteria?

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Does the Sand Tiger Shark's cannibalism meet this criteria?

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Obviously, cannibalism is really gross and difficult for us to relate to, which is probably also why it seems like atypical animal behaviour to us even if this is not actually true. Many different animals, such as snakes, spiders and rodents, engage in cannibalistic behaviour. However, intrauterine cannibalism is much more rare and seems to be unique to certain shark species.

This intrauterine cannibalism is believed to be essential to the Sand Tiger Shark's survival. The Sand Tiger Shark population is lower than that of other sharks for a variety of reasons including their two-year pregnancy. Eating their siblings allows only the fittest Sand Tiger Sharks to survive in the womb, which in turn means that only the strongest and most powerful Sand Tiger Sharks swim the ocean. That said, scientists have found that cannibalistic animals have more parasites and more diseases than non-cannabalistic animals, so this behaviour could also be dangerous to them.

It looks to me like the Sand Tiger Shark's cannibalism meets all the criteria laid out in the book!

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Yes and no. Cannibalism does exist, but intrauterine cannibalism does not. That said, there is a very strange phenomenon called Vanishing Twin Syndrome.

Vanishing Twin Syndrome occurs when a twin dies in utero and is reabsorbed by the other twin.

Vanishing Twin Syndrome, though bizarre, is not the same thing as intrauterine cannibalism. It is not an example of cannibalism as the surviving twin does not actually eat the other one.

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So, tell me about human cannibalism then.

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So, tell me about human cannibalism then.

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Human cannibalism generally occurs in life or death situations.

One such famous example is The Donner Party.

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What about non life-threatening situations?

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What about non life-threatening situations?

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Something called cultural cannibalism also exists, though it is much less common than it once was.

The Korowai tribe in Indonesian New Guinea are one of the only tribes who still practice cannibalism today, though the tribe members don't call it that. Here is an excerpt from Smithsonian Magazaine:

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Of course, we're talking about humans... the most bizarre animals on the planet or in this case the most revolting and sadistic. Three serial killers come to mind: Albert Fish, Andrei Chikatilo and Jeffrey Dahmer.

I won't go into details. I'll just say Albert Fish was not a sweet old man.

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Cannibalism is not exactly rare in popular culture, specifically in the horror genre.

The most notable cannibalistic character is without a doubt Hannibal Lecter.

His name even rhymes with cannibal!

The author Thomas Harris introduced the world to this psychiatrist slash cannibalistic serial killer. He wrote four novels about Hannibal Lecter who was later played by Anthony Hopkins in three film adaptations. Anthony Hopkins actually won an Oscar for his role in The Silence of the Lambs, which is particularly impressive given that the Academy rarely awards horror films this honour.

Here is one of the most famous scenes from The Silence of the Lambs:

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Should human cannibalism be on the list of The 10 Most Bizarre Animal Behaviours?

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Should human cannibalism be on the list of The 10 Most Bizarre Animal Behaviours?

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Absolutely!

Human cannibalism meets all the criteria save one, but we already know that. Cannibalism is clearly not unique to one species though perhaps the argument could be made that human cannibals, if not of a different species, are certainly of a different breed - a gross and difficult to relate to breed!

Perhaps intrauterine and human cannibalism should share the #1 spot?

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How I love wordplay!

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The 10 Most Bizarre Animal Behaviours by Judi-Lynn Laman:

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Most-Bizarre-Animal-Behaviors/dp/1554485428

Extreme Animal Cannibalism:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ELREyQF7Ko

10 Horrific Tales of Human Cannibalism:

http://listverse.com/2013/03/09/10-horrific-tales-of-historic-cannibalism/

Sleeping with Cannibals:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/cannibals.html

Top 10 Cases of Human Cannibalism:

http://listverse.com/2008/12/19/top-10-cases-of-human-cannibalism/

Cannibalism in Popular Culture:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalism_in_popular_culture

Hannibal Lecter:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannibal_Lecter

Hannibal Lecter, Fava Beans and Chianti:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEQZiElLp-E

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