The explosion of animals is an uncommon event arising through natural causes or human activity. Among the most well known examples would be the post-mortem explosion of whales, either as a result of natural decomposition or deliberate attempts at carcass disposal. Other instances of exploding animals are defensive in nature or the result of human intervention.

Natural explosions can occur for a variety of reasons. Post-mortem explosions, like that of a beached whale, are the result of the build-up of natural gases created by methane-producing bacteria inside the carcass during the decomposition process. Natural explosions which occur while an animal is living are typically defense-related.

A significant population of toads in Germany and Denmark exploded in April 2005 when their normal self-defense act, self-inflating to look bigger while under attack by crows, obviously failed. Others are altruistic, or at the expense of the individual in defense of its colony. Several species of ants, such as Camponotus saundersi in southeast Asia, seemingly explode at will to protect their nests from intruders.

Likewise, many species of termites have members, deemed the soldier class, who can split their bodies open emitting a noxious and sticky chemical for the same reason. Various military attempts have been made to use animals as delivery systems for weapons. During World War II the U.S. investigated the use of "bat bombs", or bats carrying small incendiary bombs, while at the same time the Soviet Union developed the "anti-tank dog" for use against German tanks.

Other attempts have included the desert-based use of donkeys carrying explosives and the so-called kamikaze dolphins, intended to seek out and destroy submarines and enemy warships.

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