When a lioness brings down a zebra, it’s more than just a meal for the pride. For the cubs, it’s one of their first lessons in survival. Around 10 to 12 weeks old, before they’re strong enough to hunt, they begin learning how to eat, wait, and fit into the pride’s rhythm at the carcass. These early meals are where young lions start to understand what it means to live as predators.

A lioness rarely drags a kill far before the pride joins her, and cubs watch everything closely. They learn which body parts tear easily, where bones hinge, and how to avoid getting bitten or swiped by older lions. Cubs that rush in too early risk injury or rejection. Researchers observing prides in the Serengeti found that over 60 percent of cubs initially fail to get access during the first feeding rounds, and it takes weeks of persistence before they successfully hold their ground.