One night we heard this loud thump noise outside our laundry service. I went to go have a look and you won’t believe what I saw…… Our own Stoffel (Honey Badger) at Ya Mati. For those who doesn’t know Stoffel, go and visit our Rehabilitation Centre to meet Stoffel. (the one that I saw is not Stoffel, it is a wild Honey Badger) He was pushing over the dustbins to see what he can scavenge from them.

• Honey Badger a.k.a the ratel, is member of the mustelidae family (weasel family).
• Honey Badger is the only member of the genus Mellivora.
• It can be found in Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent.
• This deadly carnivore measure 23 to 28 cm (9.1 to 11 in) in shoulder height and 68–75 cm in body length.
• Honey Badgers have powerful jawsand sharp teeth, which powerful enough to crush tortoise’s shell.
• Honey Badgers also have very tough skin.  The skin is very thick and rubbery, which almost impervious to arrow and spears. Even a blow from machete can’t scratch the skin. The skin protect them from bites.
• The skin also looseness. It allows them to twist and turn on their attackers when held.
• It said that the only safe grip on Honey Badger is on its back of the neck.
• Honey Badgers hunt at any time of the day, but become nocturnal in places with high human populations.
• A Honey Badger’s babyis called a ‘kit’. The females are called ‘sow’ and males ‘boar’. Honey Badger group is called a ‘cete, colony, set or company’.
• Honey Badgers are very intelligent animals and one of the few known to have used tools to its benefit.
• Honey badgers and the greater honey guide have a unique relationship. The little bird leads a honey badger to a beehive, and then waits for the honey badger to open up the hive and eat the honey and bee larvae. Once the honey badger leaves the hive, the honey guide will then feed on the remaining beeswax.
• When there are no bee larvae, the Honey Badger will hunt a variety of other animals including porcupines, insects, meerkats, snakes, young gazelles,tortoises, frogs and even smaller crocodiles. They also eat fruit and vegetables such as berries, roots and bulbs.
• Honey badgers have a distinctive jog-trot.
• When attacked by dogs, Honey Badgers scream like bear cubs.
• Honey Badger is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most fearless creature in the world.