It is thought that Taung Child was attacked and killed by an eagle. Scientists suspect that an eagle has killed Taung Child because the hole marks were at the base of three-year-old eyes.
These signs are similar to those made by sharp claws and beaks of a modern eagle when they attack monkeys in Africa today. Other proofs for the eagle killing hypothesis include the presence of other egg shells and a mix of animal bones near Taung Child's skull. Most of the found bones were obtained from rare animals (theft, rodents, turtles, lizards, crabs, small antelopes and small monkeys) when compared to animal bones in other early human areas. The majority of these small animal bones have similar damage to that made by modern hunting birds.