Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis)

Overview
Tough, tenacious, and fearless—the honey badger is one of South Africa’s most formidable small predators. Known for its striking black body and silver-grey back stripe, this stocky carnivore stands just 25 cm tall at the shoulder and weighs around 12 kg.

Built for Survival
Designed for digging and endurance, honey badgers trot tirelessly in search of prey. While mainly ground-dwelling, they climb trees to raid beehives and are notorious for tracking prey relentlessly. They are opportunistic hunters, feeding on snakes, rodents, scorpions, and even scavenging from larger predators’ kills.

Despite their name, honey is not a staple in their diet, though they famously follow honeyguide birds to find hives—rewarding them with leftover honeycomb.

Behaviour & Reproduction
Honey badgers are solitary and highly adaptable. They shift activity patterns seasonally—nocturnal in summer, diurnal in winter—but often remain nocturnal near human settlements. Cubs stay with their mothers for over a year, learning critical survival skills, especially how to safely hunt venomous snakes.

Fearless Reputation
Few animals match the honey badger’s boldness. With a powerful bite and remarkable venom immunity, they can recover from puff adder bites and withstand bee stings and scorpion venom. Their distinctive colouring acts as a warning—this is not an animal to mess with. Even predators like lions and leopards approach them with caution.

Habitat
Honey badgers are found across South Africa in bushveld, savannas, and semi-arid regions, avoiding only the densest forests. Their ferocity, intelligence, and resilience make them a true survivor of the African wild.