As strange as that may sound, some animals actually ‘kidnap’ the offspring of others. While they aren’t running crime rackets or making ransom calls, this behaviour is rooted in complex biological reasoning. For some, it is a survival tactic or a social strategy; for others, it is simply an instinct or an honest mistake. From the jungle to the ocean, here are some of the most surprising offenders who abduct other animals’ babies without a hint of guilt.

In India and parts of South Asia, male langurs may sometimes abduct or even kill infants from rival groups while taking over. This is often linked to dominance struggles — by removing rival offspring, the male increases his chances of mating with the group’s females. While it may sound cruel and come straight from a gangster saga, it is an evolutionary strategy seen in many primates.

Capuchins, especially white-faced capuchins (C. imitator), are curious and highly social. Adults and even adolescents or subadults occasionally carry infants that aren’t theirs, often as a form of play, parenting practice, or social bonding. While this behaviour usually stays within groups, sometimes interspecies baby theft may lead to fatalities. Also, just like langurs, male capuchin monkeys also kidnap and kill infants during colony takeovers.

When a new male lion takes over a pride, he may kill or remove cubs fathered by the previous male. This behaviour, again, is to ensure that the females come into heat sooner, start reproducing, and carry his genes forward to future generations. Sometimes lionesses may hide the cubs to avoid this infanticide. While tragic for the cubs, it is part of the natural cycle of pride dynamics.

The adorable marine creatures don’t pick others’ calves out of malice, but rather out of maternal instinct or social curiosity. Dolphins would sometimes be seen carrying calves that aren’t theirs, sometimes even from other species. In some rare cases, dolphins have been reported carrying dead calves of other dolphins.

In crowded breeding colonies, mother seals and sea lions sometimes mistake other pups for their own and temporarily carry or feed them. This ‘olfactory confusion’ leads them to nurturing others’ babies. There are some reported cases of females who lost their kids, “adopt” orphan kids. While it might seem like theft, it’s usually a mix of confusion and protective instinct.