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Honey Badger
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Joe Kellard (joey)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1692 W: 242 N: 5589]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (19849) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2007-07-14 |
| Categories: Mammals |
| Camera: Canon Powershot S3 IS |
| Exposure: f/3.5, 1/200 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2007-07-27 2:42 |
| Viewed: 582 |
| Points: 34 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
The Ratel (Mellivora capensis), also known as the Honey Badger, is a member of the Mustelidae family. They are distributed throughout most of Africa and western and south Asian areas of Baluchistan (eastern Iran), southern Iraq, Pakistan and Rajasthan (western India). It is the only species classified in the genus Mellivora and the subfamily Mellivorinae. They have been named the most fearless animal in the Guinness Book of World Records for a number of years.
Honey badgers are similar in size and build to the European badger, Meles meles. They are heavily built, and have a broad head with small eyes, no external ears, and a relatively blunt snout. The head-and-body length ranges from 60 to 102 cm, plus a tail of 16 to 30 cm. The animal's height at the shoulder can be from 23 to 30 cm. Adult body weights vary from 5.5 to 14 kg. There is a considerable difference between the sizes of males and females, with males sometimes weighing up to twice as much as females. The weight range for females is 5.5 to 10 kg, while males range from 9 to 14 kg. The legs are short, but the forelegs are well-developed, and the fore feet are equipped with strong claws which can be up to 40mm long.
Found in the Kalahari desert, Ratels are fierce carnivores with an extremely keen sense of smell. They are well known for their snake killing abilities, by which they will grab a snake behind the head in its jaws and kill it. Ratels can devour an entire snake (150 cm/5ft or less) in 15 minutes.
Ratels have such a great appetite for ravaging beehives that there have been cases of dead ratels being found stung to death within the hives they were trying to eat. However, they can take hundreds of stings before retreating a great distance.[citation needed] Commercial honey producers do not take kindly to this destruction and sometimes shoot, trap, or poison ratels they suspect of damaging their hives.
Some sources say that a bird, the honeyguide, has a habit of leading ratels and other large mammals to bees' nests. When a ratel breaks into the nest, the birds take their share too. Other sources say that honeyguides are only known to guide humans; see Greater Honeyguide.
The ratel is among the fiercest hunters of the desert, with prey including earthworms, termites, scorpions, porcupines, hares, and even larger prey such as tortoises, crocodiles up to one metre in size, and snakes (including pythons and venomous species).[1] Its ferocious reputation extends to attacks on animals much larger than itself. Several African tribes report that the honey badger attacks the scrotum of larger mammals if provoked and has even castrated humans.[citation needed] While these reports remain uncorroborated by firsthand evidence, there is some circumstantial evidence such as remains of castrated waterbuck and gnu found in Kruger National Park.[citation needed]
The honey badger can eat dangerous venomous snakes, most often the puff adder. If bitten the honey badger will become severely swollen and paralysed, unable to move for two to three hours. After this period of time the honey badger will re-awaken and continue with its meal or continue its journey. Even more tenaciously, a honey badger will gladly steal a snake's kill, eat it for itself then continue to hunt the snake. This ferocious nature of the badger has earned it its image as a formidable creature.
It will also dig into burrows of small rodents and flush them out for a small meal. Because of the honey badger's large front claws, its ability to dig into burrows is very effective and most opportunities once a rodent is located are successful. The problem lies with the fact that other wildlife are aware of this and birds of prey and jackals are usually nearby ready to steal any kills which manage to squeeze past the honey badger.
Honey badgers are also very intelligent animals. They are one of the few animals capable of using tools. In a documentary film Land of the Tiger, a honey badger in India was caught on film making use of a tool. The animal rolled a log and stood on it to reach a kingfisher fledgling struck up in the roots coming from the ceiling in an underground cave.
Thankyou for your comments |
JORAPAVI, jmirah, haraprasan, angybone, eqshannon, ridvan, LordPotty, jaycee, mikou, nglen, ramthakur, gannu, NellyD, Silke, CENT-TRETZE, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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Hola Joe,
Buen momento el capturado, excelente definición y detalle, tfs. saludos
José Ramón
- jmirah
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 436 W: 5 N: 901]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(3574) - [2007-07-27 4:28]
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Nice capture of a fiesty little critter...I encountered many badgers in the wild while living in Wyoming...They are fearless and will aggressively protect their territory against much larger animals, including me. Large with short little legs, they are comical to watch as they hiss and growl while quickly "waddling" after you...Well done...TFS
Jim
Hi Joe,
A beautiful creature. The capture is very nice. Very good details and composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.
First of all the notes are fascinating! The Honeyguide is definitely something I'm going to look up. And we need some Honey Badgers around here when the rattlers get bad. :)
I like the composition - the profile shot and the division of the page. He looks almost docile in the photo, except for ripping into some sort of flesh. :)
Super notations along with picture editorial of the beast chomping down on his version of a Big Mac, hold the fries. Nicely done.
Bob
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- ridvan
(5140)
- [2007-07-27 7:35]
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selam joe, wow an excellent shot and very good composition of this ratel nice pov and bg with splendid colours. Well done ! Regards ridvan
Nice capture of this Ratel Joe.
This is very different to your English badgers.
I hear they are getting quite scarce now.
Are the numbers still dropping or are they making a comeback ?
Great shot anyhow.
Cheers, Steve
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- jaycee
(14987)
- [2007-07-27 8:08]
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Hi Joe,
Adorable shot of this Badger chomping away. I love how he is holding his food. Looks great in the nice green grass.
Jane
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- mikou
(5265)
- [2007-07-27 11:00]
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Hi Joe.
Well captured of this ratel with his food.Well composed,very good POV and details,beautiful colors.Well done.
TFS,with greeting Milos.
Hi Joe,
Very nice picture.Excellent POV,details and compo.TFS.
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- nglen
(20998)
- [2007-07-27 11:06]
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Hi Joe. dont see many badgers on TN. we have a lot just down the road in some woods.where did you see this honey badger ? Good detail and colour. showing the texture of his coat. well done TFs. great notes too
Nick..
First of all, let me compliment you on writing a very informative note on the Honey Badger, Joe. I have read it with curious interest and found it very useful in admiring your picture of this animal.
Despite being an Indian and having lived for 12 years in Rajasthan, I am seeing this animal for the first time.
The picture is a fine portrait of this animal.
Well done and thanks a lot for shring this wonderful image.
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- gannu
(10776)
- [2007-07-28 8:37]
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Joey, what is it eating. Nice capture and wonderful details. Well done Ganesh
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- NellyD
(1783)
- [2007-07-29 8:15]
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Hi Joe,
Very nice moment you've captured here and a lovely shot of this badger.
I like the composition, details and colours.
Thanks for sharing!
Greetings, Nel
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- Silke
(5398)
- [2007-07-31 4:21]
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Superb capture! The colours and details are fabulous, the composition spot on and the notes are matchless
TFS
silke
:)
Hello Joe:
After so many days without publishing your photos and of not criticizing the mias, I imagine that you will be enjoyed a few vacations. I wish to spend(pass) it very well and to return loaded with good images with which the sight to take delight.
Very nice and made well your photo of this bear while it(he,she) feeds. An exelente captutra.
An embrace
Josep
Hi Joe,
A nice image of the honey badger, the photo has agood composition, sharpness and nice colors. Thanks for sharing.
Pierre
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 14 N: 2271]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(7204)