Intended Consequences 📽 by @odawg_boersma At first glance, this looks like a straight up chase and catch, but upon further review it looks as though mama moose had a hand in helping the bear decide. It wouldn’t be the first time an animal mom was forced to identify the weakest link in her family chain and use them to placate an existential threat, in fact it happens more often than you think. On this account alone, there are multiple examples of mother antelopes or giraffes or (insert another species) giving birth and immediately ditching their newborn before they are also descended upon and killed by a group of hungry predators. It’s a cold move - maybe the coldest - but in the end it is the right one biologically speaking. As for pairs of kids, it becomes a little trickier but the results are often just as metal. As a mom, putting your best foot forward means propping up the child with the best possible chance of reaching adulthood. Unfortunately, that often means all other children will be deprioritized. A good example of this behavior in action is the way chinstrap penguins decide which child to keep around: they make them race. Seriously. The parents will take turns making the chicks chase them for their food, the chick that wins gets fed and proves themselves to be superior, and the chick that loses slowly starves. Again, incredibly harsh, but when the strength of your bloodline is of the utmost importance, sacrifices must be made. #natureismetal #keepnaturemetal - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Subscribe to NatureisMetal on Youtube! Additional links in bio!