Male lions can take food from lionesses, but their hardest-to-replace role is deterring takeovers that threaten resident males and dependent cubs.
A male lion spends much of his life resting and may even displace lionesses from kills they caught — but his main value to a pride is enormous: keeping rival males away. A takeover can mean the death of the resident males and their cubs, which is why male lions risk lethal fights to hold a pride for as long as they can.
Natural History