Comments on: Would lions eat clams?

Question: Would lions eat clams?

brainwane — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 10:50:35 -0800

If you gave a lion a clam, would the lion attempt to eat it? Would they be able to eat it? Would they like it? Assume that the clam is still in the shell.

As you may have already surmised, this is a very-not-urgent question that grows out of idle silly joking between my spouse and me.

By: terrapin

terrapin — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 11:17:41 -0800

I would hypothesize that a lion would not try to open a clam in a shell unless it was starving.

I also assume that the lion would have the jaw strength to crush the clam shell but at that point would spit it out not because of the taste but because of the shell shattered in its mouth.

By: janell

janell — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 11:23:35 -0800

My cat will eagerly lick the shells of clams and mussels, so the lion might also enjoy the salty flavor and scent.

By: HotToddy

HotToddy — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 11:45:06 -0800

I think a lion would find it appealing and would eat it to the best of its ability, making funny faces as it tried to maneuver bits of shell out of its mouth. Source: My dog vs. a whole egg in the shell.

By: sallybrown

sallybrown — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 11:49:59 -0800

Here's a a couple lions trying and failing to figure out how to eat a tortoise (who's hiding in his shell).

By: showbiz_liz

showbiz_liz — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 11:50:32 -0800

They would probably be able to smell that it was edible inside, and lions can crack smaller bones open with their teeth to get at the marrow, so they would likely know how to go about getting in there. They have also been known to eat fish when available, though it's not part of their normal diet.

Whether they would bother after the first one, I don't know. It probably wouldn't be super pleasant to have a clam shell shatter in your mouth. But I definitely think the lion would get to at least that point before giving up.

By: Grandysaur

Grandysaur — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 12:41:06 -0800

Anecdotally, I have had one dog look at me like I was crazy when I tried to feed him a raw mussel, and another that gobbled it right up. Just as a data point of large predators and shellfish.

By: LadyOscar

LadyOscar — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 19:39:49 -0800

They're more omnivorous in general, but apparently grizzly bears eat clams.

Lions...I don't know. Many animals won't try to eat something if it's unfamiliar, which is possibly evolutionarily advantageous, given that unfamiliar food sources might not be safe.

By: mumimor

mumimor — Sun, 12 Jul 2020 22:56:01 -0800

I am not an expert on lions, but I have been told that they are rather lazy, compared to other big predators. Bears and wolves and hyenas will eat anything and everything, but lions prefer eating wild game in very big portions and then relaxing a lot as they digest.

By: Bwithh

Bwithh — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 16:01:08 -0800

>Lions on Namibia's Skeleton Coast have adapted to prey on seabirds and seals:

"The first time lions were recorded feeding on marine life since returning to the desert was in 2006, where lionesses were observed eating a seal. Then, in 2017, a lioness in poor condition was spotted hunting cormorants, while others were seen hunting flamingos and teals. Stander said he has observed lions foraging in intertidal areas, so it is possible their diet could expand to other marine life such as shellfish, crabs and sea turtles."

From a quick google, Namibia is known for its oysters and mussels, so perhaps it has clams too?