Is there karmic retribution for animals killing and eating each other?

Animals killing and eating one another certainly carry karmic retribution. Because all the actions and deeds of animals are recorded and stored as karmic seeds by their respective tathāgatagarbha—the tathāgatagarbha naturally possesses this function and role. When the karmic seeds ripen, karmic retribution follows. Therefore, all sentient beings are carriers of karmic retribution, each one deeply burdened with karmic obstructions, unable to free themselves. However, there is a difference between the killing done by animals and the killing done by humans: animals kill purely to survive, without a mind of killing or evil intent, whereas human killing involves the issue of mental activity, so the killing karma of humans is heavier. Killing after receiving the precepts also involves the offense of violating precepts; the karmic offense at the level of one's mental disposition, combined with the offense at the level of the precepts, makes the karma even heavier.