I’m not saying humans are above instinct or lions have no rationality. I’m saying humans use rationality way more because of our far greater understanding of the world. Rationality requires knowledge of the world in order to form decisions, and humans have far more knowledge of the world then a lion.

I’m sorry for misunderstanding your claim as universal, but if it’s not you shouldn’t use universalist language: “all animals have a right to kill other animals in order to defend or feed themselves.”, rights, as I understand them, are universal as the more exceptions you have to a right the less it becomes a right.

I don’t understand them intra species vs inter species distinction, is cannibalism more wrong then inter species carnivory?

Back to the main point though, your initial claim that it’s fine to kill for food if you do it yourself and aren’t alienated from it, you said this is one requirement, are there any others? I’m saying that the necessity for survival is one of them. I think we agree on this as you base your claim for this “right” on the right to live of every animal, therefore an animal should not encroach on that right unless it feels its own life is threatened. If you live in the developed world with ample access to plant based foods and access to knowledge of how to eat a vegetarian diet, then it doesn’t matter if you go out into the woods naked armed only with a spear, your still wantonly killing. Your not killing to protect your right to life, your killing for the taste of the animals flesh, or sport, or to prove your masculinity etc. Those are not valid reasons to kill.