Honey badgers, also called ratels, are a great example of why you should never judge a book by its cover. Even though they appear cute and adorable, they are one of the most fierce and combative creatures alive. They got their name from their love of honey and honeybee larvae.
Table of Contents
Scientific Classification
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Mustelidae
Mellivora
M. capensis
Mellivora capensis
Table Of Content
Table of Contents
Scientific Classification
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Mustelidae
Mellivora
M. capensis
Mellivora capensis
Table of Contents
Native to Africa and Asia, these mammals inhabit all forms of landscape, ranging from forests to deserts and rocky hills. Their vocalizations are notable, with the adults emitting loud, grating noises and the young squealing and whining. Though hunting is an option for gathering food, they do not mind scavenging on the victims of larger animals when possible.
Subspecies
As of 2005, there are twelve scientifically recognized subspecies of honey badger.
Length:Body – 29 to 38 inches (73 to 96 cm). Tail – 5 to 9 inches (14 to 23 cm)
Height: 9 to 12 inches (23 to 30 cm)
Weight: 13.6 to 30 lbs (6.2 to 13.6 kg)
Body and Coloration:
They are large mustelids with a flattened yet muscular body. Males of this species are bigger than females, making them sexually dimorphic. Though their body color varies with the geographic location, the general pattern is ventrally dark and dorsally light.
The head is massive, with a broad gray-white stripe extending from the crown to the tip of the bushy tail. Its forefeet is strong and wide, with large claws for quick grasping of prey, while its hind feet are tiny and the claws short.
Honey Badger Claw
Ratels
Distribution
The honey badger is native to the continents of Africa and Asia, spanning the Arabian Peninsula, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian Peninsula, and many Western Asian nations.
In Asia, it is widely distributed in India, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and the region around the Caspian Sea. In Africa, honey badgers extend from the south of Morocco to South Africa.
Habitat
These animals are terrestrially ubiquitous, inhabiting a wide variety of habitats. They reside in tropical and subtropical forests, open woodlands, grasslands, hills, and deserts. They are found at sea level and at altitudes as high as about 4000 meters.
Using their powerful claws, they dig deep burrows for shelter. The end of such dugouts is followed by a bare chamber that the creatures use for rest. However, they also take advantage of naturally available lodgings like rock crevices, old termite mounds, and holes under roots. Sometimes, they even take refuge in burrows dug by Cape foxes, springhares, and mongooses.
Honey Badger Habitat
Honey Badger Image
Diet
The diet of honey badgers varies with prey availability through all seasons. They are primarily omnivores feeding on small rodents, snakes, insects, and birds. Also, they do not shy away from hunting venomous snakes and scorpions. What they usually crave are honey bee larvae. For this rich source of protein, honey badgers are ready to endure endless bee stings at beehives. When required, they also eat fruits, berries, and roots.
They are solitary and predominantly nocturnal creatures, mostly curled up in their dens during the daytime.
For foraging, they move around daily and occupy an extensive range of land. This activity peaks twice a day, usually dipping around the afternoon. They are more active on cold, overcast days than hot and sultry ones.
Males forage through more considerable distances than females. They often meet at foraging grounds, sniffing each other and rolling around to scent-mark. They also defecate in holes and mark their territory with urine.
Male-male interactions become severely aggressive if someone barges into such territories. When confronting an enemy male, they display a characteristic ’dominance dance,’ rotating their entire body.
Usually harmless to humans, they are found to attack them only when provoked.
Lifespan
In the wild, honey badgers have a short lifespan of 7 to 8 years. In captivity, they live considerably longer, for a maximum of 26 years.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Like in most animal species, males compete for access to females. As the most mobile participant in a fight, the aggressor engages in ritualized agonistic behaviors, including rolling and tumbling. It stands tall on its stiff legs, its head held high.
The dominant male trails the female’s scent mark to approach her den. She then exhibits an appeasement behavior, smacking her jaws and head low with a high-pitched rattle vocalization. She often presents herself to the male by turning her back to him and raising her tail. The copulating pair may remain in the den for about 32-70 hours. The male often physically guards the exit of the den, thereby preventing the female from escaping. A dominant male may replace another in the den.
The female honey badgers remain in their estrous cycle for two weeks, the ideal time for mating. Mating is asynchronous, occurring at any point of time in the year. Gestation ranges between 50 to 70 days. An expectant mother digs a nursery chamber and lines it with grass to provide shelter and protection to her newborn.
Usually, one or two cubs or kits are born after 7 to 10 weeks from mating. These kits are born pink and hairless, and their eyes remain closed. They are delivered in a burrow and leave the site once they are three months old and weaned. They are dependent on maternal care for an extended period, not becoming fully independent until they are 1 or 2 years old. Female honey badgers reach sexual maturity at around 12 to 16 months, whereas males lag, taking 2 or 3 years to mature.
Predators
Being the fierce fighter it is, a honey badger does not fear predation much, though lions and leopards could threaten and kill old, frail ones.
Honey Badger Picture
Honey Badger Teeth
Adaptations
Their sturdy build, long front claws, and pointed teeth enable them to rip meat from bones easily. They are also efficient predators because their tongues have sharp, rear-facing papillae.
They have tough skin and are impervious to bee stings and snake fangs. The region around the throat is notably thick (6mm), helping it escape from the deadly grasp of predators. The skin is loose, enabling them to twist around quickly and bite the attacker.
The honey badger stores a stinking liquid in a scent gland found at the base of its tail. This liquid is used for scent-marking and also to ward off enemies. When alarmed, it drops a ‘stink bomb,’ extremely repulsive to its foe.
Reports suggest that honey badgers have evolved a series of genetic mutations that provide immunity against snake venom. They prevent the toxin from binding to cellular receptors, arresting subsequent nervous system failure.
Conservation Status
Based on the Assessment of 2015, the honey badger holds the IUCN status of ‘Least Concern.’ Though it has a globally declining population, it is not alarming yet – thanks to its broad range and dietary flexibility. However, according to IUCN, in some countries like Morocco, Israel, and Kazakhstan, they are a legally protected species. According to CITES, it falls under Appendix III.
It is human activity that threatens their existence. They are often consumed as bushmeat and used in the traditional medicine trade. The farmers and beekeepers keep track of their beehive raids. Then, they are captured using steel-jawed traps and poisoned to death. Sometimes, they might accidentally fall into traps meant for other predators.
Thus, it is imperative to take steps toward conserving honey badgers. We must educate beekeepers on their importance and help them switch to reliable, economical means of beehive protection. There must be enforcement of existing laws on the prohibition of intentional killings. Such prevention also requires the awareness and consciousness of local people.
Interesting Facts
Females have two pairs of breasts that help them feed twin cubs at once.
They are brainy. They can put together different types of tools when needed. For example, if they find it difficult to dig under an obstacle, they can build ladders to overcome it.
It is believed that honey badgers are escorted to their beehives by an African bird, the Greater Honeyguide, through vocal cues.
