The Honey Badger

This week’s late post is about the Honey Badger; this is one crazy, fearless creature. When a honey badger wants something, nothing will stop it - it fears nothing. Despite it’s name it does not closely resemble the badger species, it resembles the weasels more. It is classed as a species of “Least Concern” to study by the IUCD due to it extensive habitat (most of Africa and a good part of India) and general environmental adaptations. The Honey Badger has a long body that is distinctly thick set and broad across the back. The skin is very loose, this allows it to turn and twist very easily which is very helpful when in the clutches of the enemy. The skin is also very thick; it is 6mm (0.24inches) thick around it’s neck to protect from biting as most animals go for the neck when attacking. The head is flat (useful when digging) with a short muzzle; eyes are small and ears are little more than ridges. They have short but very powerfully built legs, all armed with sharp claws which are short on the hind legs but very long on the forelimbs. The tail is short with long hair, while the hair on the rest of the body is short. The legs, lower body and face are black when its upper body is mostly white with some black in it giving it a salt & pepper look.

Now that you know what the Honey Badger looks like you can try and stay out its way because it does not matter the size, if you are in its way it will take you out with crazy claws and teeth. Guinness World Records has named it the most fearless animal! They are fierce predators that are mostly carnivorous and like poultry a lot. Unlike the Tasmanian Tiger, they have actually been a huge problem for poultry farms. However, they aren’t too choosey - they will eat just about anything else at hand. They are also proficient diggers so animals cannot easily hide from them, as the honey badger will dig them out and have been known to dig up human bodies and eat them. Animals can not hide in the trees either as the honey badger can climb trees very well so there is nowhere you can go to hide from them if they have you in their sights. One of their favorite treats is honey (hence the name) and they will climb trees (like Winnie the Pooh!) and knock the beehive on the ground and then devour the honey and larvae - since they have thick skin the bees barely bother them.

When Honey Badgers attack they are tireless, attacking until they can fight no more, their tireless nature in combat can wear out even larger predators like small bears. They have been known for surplus killing when attacking prey like on poultry farms one badger has been reported for killing a total of 53 chickens. They are also very intelligent and been witnessed using tools. A Honey Badger rolled a log and stood on it to reach a kingfisher fledgling stuck on roots in the ceiling of an underground cave. Their fierceness is so well known in nature that it is theorized that Cheetah cubs evolved similar colouring in their fur to ward off predators.

When trapped or in the clutches of a predator (lets say a Human) the looseness of its skin allows it to be able to turn around and bite it’s attacker while still being grabbed. The thickness of its skin is so tough that it has been known to prevent darts, arrows, and small caliber bullets. To it make it even scarier it screams when it is attacked to scare the daylights out its attacker.

This is one Epic Creature that you would rather meet with your eyes rather than your hands … and maybe even use binoculars so you can keep your distance. I will leave you with a video about it's Guinness Record.