“The most fearless animal in the world” – according to the Guinness Book of Records”
Description: A small, mainly nocturnal mammal, powerfully built, with no external ears, a broad muscular back, bowlegged front legs and formidable foreclaws that may grow up to 40mm in length.
Colouration: Black below with a mantle of white to grey grizzled thick hair extending from the tail base to a cap over the top of the head. Two whiter stripes underlining the sides separate the black underparts from the white or grey grizzled mantle.
Breeding: cub is usually reared in the wild, two have been recorded in captivity.
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Family: Mustelidae – related, amongst others, to the otter, marten, polecat, skunk, weasel and other badgers.
Scientific name: Mellivora capensis (honey eater of the Cape)
Other common name: Ratel – an Afrikaans name that probably refers to the rattling roar made by an angry badger. Mantswane or Ulinda - Nbebele.
Size: total length: 780 to 1020mm; shoulder height: 230 to 300mm
Weight: Male: 9.0 to 14.0 kg; female: 5.5 to 10.0kg
Pound for pound, badgers are reckoned to be the most powerful creatures in Africa.
Diet: An opportunistic carnivore, with a passion for bee larvae, honey, scorpions and snakes, no matter how dangerous. Will, however, take on and kill much larger prey that burrow or use existing holes, like porcupine or warthog, exploiting opportunities where their young may be left unattended. Hyrax, leguaans (monitor lizard) and all reptiles including tortoises, toads, many insect species and dung beetles in their brood balls, some fruit, birds’ eggs. Carrion, scavenged from lion, leopard and cheetah kills also forms a large part of their menu.
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General distribution: The greater part of sub-Saharan Africa through the Middle East to southern Russia, and eastwards as far as India and Nepal.
Habitat: Wide tolerance from semi-desert to rainforest.
Status: Near threatened in southern Africa and Morocco. Endangered in Saudi Arabia, protected in India. CITES App.III in Botswana and Ghana.
Directly persecuted by bee-keepers, poultry and sheep farmers. Indirect persecution through indiscriminate poisoning and trapping for jackal and caracal and by hunters. Trade for traditional medicine. Bushmeat in Zambia.
More tomorrow...
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