This was one such class in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Park, where a lioness taught her cubs how to hunt and kill a wildebeest to stay alive.
Captured by South African photographer Mark Dumbleton, the lioness began by circling her prey before her cubs joined the hunt.
The animal fought back – but outnumbered and separated from the herd, it was only a matter of time before it was overpowered.
Red in tooth and claw: Deep in the Maasai Mara, a lioness prepares to teach her children how to hunt
Circling: Captured frame by frame, the animals close in on a wildebeest separated from its herd
Chase: Weighing more than 500lbs when fully-grown, the wildebeest initially managed to evade capture
Running: The lion cubs pick up on tips they have been taught by their mother and attack from both sides
Fear: As the rapid-fire sequence unfolds, the wildebeest kicks up dust in its frantic bid to escape
Weakening: The wildebeest then begins to slow, coming face to face with the animal which wants to take its life
Teamwork: Lionesses hunt in prides, rarely alone, and here the mother closed in to help her cubs
Overpowered: Outnumbered and tired, this was the moment the wildebeest could no longer put up a fight
Eyeing its prey: The family unit take a look before one of the animals sinks its jaws into the stricken beast
Killed: Lit by the golden evening sun, the wildebeest is dealt a fatal blow by the victorious hunters
Dinner: Wildebeest are strong and fast, but are vulnerable as soon as they are separated from the heard
Beaten down: South African photographer Mark Dumbleton said the hunt was over within minutes
‘I couldn’t believe the animal instinct they had,’ he said. ‘They knew exactly how to take [the animal] down’