Honey Badger

We had just retired into our bungalow at Satara Rest Camp on the night of 19 December 2021 when there was an almighty noise of rubbish crashing to the floor outside our unit. Now, it is well known that there are Honey Badgers, aka Ratels, in Satara and so I immediately knew who the culprit was. However, because we know they are there I thought that putting the rubbish bin, with a few kitchen scraps and glass and plastic bottles inside, up high on the narrow kitchenette counter would be an effective measure to prevent any nocturnal raids. This Badger was much more clever than I thought!!! He easily pulled out the three kitchen drawers containing the cooking and eating utensils and used these as a stepladder to get on top of the counter. As I opened the Bungalow door Mr. Ratel scampered away with his chosen prize clenched in his jaws, to enjoy at leisure underneath our vehicle. Now, only those with a death wish would dare tangle with a Honey Badger, so I’d gladly retrieve the empty tub of cream cheese after he’s licked it clean…

While the Badger was enjoying his morsel, we quickly deposited the remaining scraps and bottles in one of the receptacles dotted through the camp, and then set up the camera traps to capture the inevitable return of the marauder. We pushed a chair against his “ladder” as we feared the drawers wouldn’t hold for long under the Ratel’s weight. We then returned the, now empty, rubbish bin atop the counter and went back to bed. The muddy paw prints all over the counter could wait till morning… He probably smelled that the rubbish bin was empty and didn’t try to get to the top again. Our lesson learned, we didn’t leave the rubbish bin outside overnight again.

Honey Badger approaching Bungalow 50 at Satara

Honey Badger on the stoep of Bungalow 50 at Satara

Mellivora capensis

Infamous for its tenacity and downright cantankerous disposition, the Honey Badger may only stand 30cm high at the shoulder with a weight up to 16kg (males are much bigger than females), but that doesn’t deter them from tangling with buffaloes, elephants and lions (or anything else for that matter) daft enough to cross swords with them.

Honey Badgers inhabit a wide range of habitats, from deserts to mountains to forests, though they prefer more open habitats. They even occur in some of our cities and towns. They are equally catholic about their diet, feeding mostly on insects, eggs and rodents as well as fruits, berries, bulbs and carrion, but also including anything else they can overpower – snakes, young crocodiles, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals up to the size of small antelope have all been recorded. Although it isn’t a major part of their diet, their penchant for honey and the lengths they will go to in order to gorge themselves on it has earned them their English common name.

These tough creatures are usually seen alone or in pairs, and may be active by day or night. They are excellent climbers and rest up in crevices or holes in the ground (dug by themselves or taken over from other animals). This is also where the females give birth to litters of 1-4 pups (usually 2) at any time of year. The female raises the pups alone, moving them to a new den every few days until they can start moving around with her at around 3 months old. The pups are fully grown by the time they’re 8 months old but may remain with their mom until they’re as old as 18 months.

The IUCN considers the Honey Badger to be of least concern. It is distributed widely over Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, but usually occurs at low densities. Honey Badgers are found all over South Africa.