The mere mention of the Honey Badger sparks a wave of excitement among fellow nature enthusiasts. These fascinating creatures consistently captivate us with their curious, confident, and resilient personalities, leaving us yearning for more sightings of them – they always leave us wanting more!
This young Honey Badger was discovered in a state of emaciation near a farmhouse and was subsequently taken in by Dr. De Graaf for treatment. It’s likely that this individual either wandered away from its mother prematurely or lost her at a tender age. Honey Badgers are born in a helpless state and undergo slow development. Their eyes remain closed for about eight weeks after birth, and they only begin to hear at around three months of age. Even at eight months, they lack the coordination required for digging and climbing. As a result, they typically remain under the care of their mother for a minimum of 14 months, during which time they absorb essential skills and knowledge from the adults in their environment.
As our wildlife vet, Willem Burger, opened the cage, this young badger displayed all the traits characteristic of its species. With eagerness and confidence, it swiftly departed, seeming to know precisely where it was headed – or perhaps it was just exceptionally convincing in its execution of the release! It was a delightful sight to witness that mischievous toothy grin peeking out from the other side of the box (as captured in the image below).
The Honey Badger is highly adaptable and has a diverse diet. It relishes insects and invertebrates, particularly troublesome scorpions often found in villa surroundings. Baboon spiders, locusts, centipedes, and small mice and rats are among its preferred meals. As it matures, the Honey Badger expands its palate to include larger prey like small birds, spring hares, tortoises, small mongooses, lizards, and snakes.
Honey badgers are truly remarkable creatures. They are nomadic by nature, capable of traversing distances of up to 35 kilometres within a span of 24 hours, without the need to return to a specific den at night. Possessing remarkable stamina, honey badgers can sustain speeds of up to 10 kilometres per hour over extended periods.
Their ingenuity knows no bounds; honey badgers have been observed employing tools in their hunting strategies. They exhibit cunning tactics such as dropping stones to ensnare lizards and utilizing leaves and sand to obstruct escape tunnels in mice burrows while hunting for mice.
Perhaps most astonishingly, honey badgers fearlessly confront snakes of all kinds. They have been documented to dispatch and consume pythons measuring up to 4.5 meters in length, as well as highly venomous cobras and puff adders. Their voracious appetite and efficient hunting prowess enable them to consume a 1.5-meter-long snake in just 15 minutes!
According to Bookey Peek, the word “fail” does not exist in the Honey Badgers vocabulary.
~ Bookey Peek, an award-winning travel writer, resides with her family in Zimbabwe, where they run a game ranch amidst the country’s wildlife and its current political challenges. Her husband, Richard, is a highly acclaimed wildlife photographer with numerous publications to his name.