This Dad Lion Refuses to Share His Catch With His Cubs

This is one very grumpy dad! The clip below shows an adult male lion who is not willing to share his carcass with the rest of his family. As soon as he sees them approaching, he races over and makes it quite clear that they are not welcome. He does this by vocalizing and physically attacking one of the cubs. The younger lions are learning the hard way that there is a strict hierarchy when it comes to lion mealtimes!

Watch the Confrontation Below

How Do Lions Normally Feed?

Once a kill has been made, the feeding can begin but this is where pride relationships can become strained. If the male is present, he will eat first. A male lion can eat a quarter of his body weight in one sitting. Then, the adult females take their turn. They can eat 31 pounds of meat a day. The females will share the carcass with the subadults (youngsters) of the pride.

Even with these huge appetites, a large kill may not be finished in one sitting. The lions may guard the kills or they may walk away and leave it for scavengers to finish off.

What Parts of the Carcass Do Lions Normally Eat?

Lions start by feeding on the intestines and internal organs including the heart, lungs, liver, and pancreas. Then, they move onto the fleshy parts of the carcass including the muscle. In most prey animals, the easiest way to enter the carcass is through the soft skin at the abdomen. Lions are able to slit this with their teeth. If plenty of food is available, lions have been known to walk away from a kill having only consumed the intestines and internal organs. They leave all of the muscle for scavengers such as hyenas, jackals, and vultures. Lions eat some bones but also leave bones for hyenas to finish off. We know that they eat hair because it is found in their poop. However, they also remove some before eating using their rough tongues. It’s not unusual for lions to gorge themselves and then not eat again for over a week.

Do Lions Normally Scavenge?

Yes, some lions do scavenge but this makes up a variable proportion of their total diet. They take kills from several other carnivores including leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas. They even take kills from other lions.

These big cats watch out for where vultures are gathering to learn where they can locate a kill that may be worth stealing!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © SteffenTravel/Shutterstock.com