The honey badger (Mellivora capensis) is a small but famously fearless carnivore, roughly hyena-like in appearance with a black body and a broad grey-white stripe down its back. Armed with powerful digging claws, thick loose skin and a ferocious bite, it will stand its ground against far larger animals in the Kruger bush.
Name
Honey Badger [Mellivora capensis]
Description
The Honey Badger is one of South Africa’s most fearsome and infamous animals that have a ferocious appetite and are extremely aggressive. Honey Badgers hare almost hyena like in appearance. They have a black coat with white stripes that run down their body. They have a very thick and bristly coat with very loose skin. They have long claws on their front paws that are used for digging out termite and ant mounds as well as scratching its attackers.
Diet
Honey Badgers are omnivores that will feed on anything they can get their teeth on. These animals are capable of hunting antelope and small mammals like rabbits, dassie and meerkats. They have a ferocious appetite and sport a very dangerous bite that have an unbelievable amount of pressure for an animal so small. Lions and leopards have been threatened by these fearsome animals and have on very rare occasion fallen prey to their sheer determination and ferociousness.
Breeding
Honey Badgers usually give birth to two pups after a gestation period of six months and breed between the months of October and January. Honey Badgers are extremely protective of their young and will violently lash out to anything that comes near.
Spoor
Like many other animals of the honey badger’s size and build, they have 5 toes with long claws on the front paws that are used to dig and self-defence while the hind feet have smaller claws. When on a Kruger Park Safari, you can spot its tracks and sometimes even see it in the grass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the honey badger considered so fearless?
The honey badger has a reputation as one of the world's most fearless animals. Its thick, loose skin lets it twist and bite back even when gripped, and it defends itself ferociously, on rare occasions even seeing off lions and leopards. Its sheer determination far outweighs its modest size.
What does a honey badger eat?
Honey badgers are omnivores that eat almost anything they can catch or dig up, from insects, snakes and small mammals such as rabbits, dassies and meerkats to fruit and honey. They use their long front claws to excavate termite and ant mounds and to dig prey out of burrows.
Where can you see a honey badger in the Kruger?
Honey badgers are widespread in the Kruger but not often seen, as they are wide-ranging and partly nocturnal. On a game drive you may spot one trotting purposefully through the grass, or see its distinctive five-clawed tracks. Sightings are a bonus rather than something you can plan on.
Are honey badgers dangerous to people?
Honey badgers do not seek out people and usually go their own way, but they are best left well alone. If cornered or handled they defend themselves aggressively with a very powerful bite and sharp claws. On safari, enjoy any sighting from the vehicle and give the animal room to move on.
