<p>Prudent predators are capable not only of perceiving prey population sizes and dynamically adjusting their predation rates, but also of sensing their own population densities and actively regulating their numbers through cannibalism. In this study, we develop a three-species omnivorous food-web model that incorporates such prudent predation behavior. Through theoretical analysis, we establish the existence and stability conditions of the equilibria and derive the criteria for the occurrence and dynamical characteristics of Hopf bifurcations. Numerical simulations further validate the analytical results and uncover additional complex dynamical phenomena. Specifically, the system exhibits coexistence patterns such as point–point and point–limit cycle bistability, and chaotic dynamics are also identified. Our findings indicate that although prudent predation can induce chaotic behavior, it may also stabilize the system, thereby highlighting the strong self-regulation capacity inherent in ecological systems.</p>