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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. Biology Ratel is a small mammal (Mellivora capensis), also known as a Honey Badger. ...
Image File history File links Honey_badger. ...
The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ...
Image File history File links Status_iucn2. ...
Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ...
For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ...
Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ...
Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the production of milk in female mammary glands and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in...
Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: or ; from Latin carÅ (stem carn-) flesh, + vorÄre to devour) includes over 260 species of placental mammals. ...
Subfamilies Lutrinae Melinae Mellivorinae Taxidiinae Mustelinae Mustelidae is a family of carnivorous mammals. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber (1739 - 1810) was a German naturalist. ...
Year 1776 (MDCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...
Subfamilies Lutrinae Melinae Mellivorinae Taxidiinae Mustelinae Mustelidae is a family of carnivorous mammals. ...
A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ...
For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ...
The Iranian part of Balochistan (or Baluchistan). ...
, RÄjasthÄn (DevanÄgarÄ«: राजसà¥à¤¥à¤¾à¤¨, IPA: ) is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. ...
The Guinness Book of Records (or in recent editions Guinness World Records, and in previous US editions Guinness Book of World Records) is a book published annually, containing an internationally recognized collection of superlatives: both in terms of human achievement and the extrema of the natural world. ...
Anatomy
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. Binomial name Meles meles Linnaeus, 1758 The Eurasian Badger, (Meles meles), is found across most of Europe and many parts of Asia, from about 15° to 65° North, and from about 10° West to 135° East. ...
Behavior 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. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 774 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (968 × 750 pixel, file size: 352 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 774 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (968 × 750 pixel, file size: 352 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
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. Domesticated Western honey bees are kept in beehives. ...
It has been suggested that Snake poison be merged into this article or section. ...
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. Genera Indicator Melichneutes Prodotiscus Honeyguide birds, also known as honey birds, indicator birds, and simply honeyguides, (family Indicatoridae) are several dull-colored near passerine bird species of the order Piciformes, notable for their method of obtaining food. ...
Binomial name Indicator indicator (Sparrman, 1777) The Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) is a 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] Families Acanthodrilidae Ailoscolecidae Alluroididae Almidae Criodrilidae Eudrilidae Exxidae Glossoscolecidae Lumbricidae Lutodrilidae Megascolecidae Microchaetidae Ocnerodrilidae Octochaetidae Sparganophilidae Earthworm is the common name for the largest members of the Oligochaeta (which is either a class or subclass depending on the author) in the phylum Annelida. ...
Families Mastotermitidae Kalotermitidae Termopsidae Hodotermitidae Rhinotermitidae Serritermitidae Termitidae Wikispecies has information related to: Isoptera Termites, sometimes known as white ants, are a group of social insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera. ...
Superfamilies Pseudochactoidea Buthoidea Chaeriloidea Chactoidea Iuroidea Scorpionoidea See classification for families. ...
Genera Family Erethizontidae Coendou Sphiggurus Erethizon Echinoprocta Chaetomys Family Hystricidae Atherurus Hystrix Thecurus Trichys This article is about the rodent mammal. ...
Jack rabbit and Jackrabbit redirect here. ...
This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...
Genera Mecistops Crocodylus Osteolaemus See full taxonomy. ...
‹ The template below (Unit of length) is being considered for deletion. ...
Infraorders and Families Alethinophidia - Nopcsa, 1923 Acrochordidae- Bonaparte, 1831 Aniliidae - Stejneger, 1907 Anomochilidae - Cundall, Wallach & Rossman, 1993 Atractaspididae - Günther, 1858 Boidae - Gray, 1825 Bolyeriidae - Hoffstetter, 1946 Colubridae - Oppel, 1811 Cylindrophiidae - Fitzinger, 1843 Elapidae - F. Boie, 1827 Loxocemidae - Cope, 1861 Pythonidae - Fitzinger, 1826 Tropidophiidae - Brongersma, 1951 Uropeltidae - Müller, 1832...
Infraorders and Families Alethinophidia - Nopcsa, 1923 Acrochordidae- Bonaparte, 1831 Aniliidae - Stejneger, 1907 Anomochilidae - Cundall, Wallach & Rossman, 1993 Atractaspididae - Günther, 1858 Boidae - Gray, 1825 Bolyeriidae - Hoffstetter, 1946 Colubridae - Oppel, 1811 Cylindrophiidae - Fitzinger, 1843 Elapidae - F. Boie, 1827 Loxocemidae - Cope, 1861 Pythonidae - Fitzinger, 1826 Tropidophiidae - Brongersma, 1951 Uropeltidae - Müller, 1832...
Binomial name Kobus ellipsiprymnus (Ogilby, 1833) The Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) is an antelope found in Western, Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. ...
Species Connochaetes gnou Connochaetes taurinus The wildebeest (plural, wildebeest or wildebeests), also called the gnu (pronounced or ), is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. ...
Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa. ...
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. Binomial name Bitis arietans (Merrem, 1820) Synonyms Cobra lachesis - Laurenti, 1768 Cobra clotho - Laurenti, 1768 [Coluber] Lachesis - Gmelin, 1788 [Coluber] Clotho - Gmelin, 1788 C[oluber]. Bitin - Bonnaterre, 1790 Col[uber]. Intumescens - Donndorff, 1798 Vipera severa - Latreille In Sonnini & Latreille, 1801 [Vipera (Echidna)] arietans - Merrem, 1820 Vipera inflata - Burchell, 1822 Echidna...
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. This article is about the animal. ...
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 stuck up in the roots coming from the ceiling in an underground cave.[2]
Predators Adult honey badgers rarely serve as prey for lions and leopards; however, their ferocity and thick, loose skin make it hard to grip or suffocate them and predation difficult. Old, weak honey badgers are more likely to fall prey to leopards, lions, and pythons, but even old honey badgers will defend themselves as vigorously as possible. In one case, shown on an episode of Animal Planet, an old female honey badger that was nearly toothless and had one blind eye was attacked by a leopard. It took the leopard about one hour to kill the honey badger. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 1 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg) URL: Joshua O photos I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...
Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 1 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg) URL: Joshua O photos I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...
Howletts African elephants at Howletts Siberian tiger at Howletts Howletts Wild Animal Park (formerly known as Howletts Zoo) was set up as a private zoo in 1958 by John Aspinall in Canterbury, Kent. ...
Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae. ...
This page is about the animal. ...
Mating and cubs Once a female honey badger comes into heat, courtship is very energetic. After days of deliberation, a male is accepted as a mating partner, and the badgers will remain in a burrow for 3-4 days of mating. The female badger will give birth to a cub 2 months later. A ratel cub is almost a complete replica of its mother, and as it grows, it learns to be aggressive to any other creature (e.g., curious jackals) as it travels across the desert. It relies on its mother for food and shelter as they regularly move and she digs new burrows. Cubs can handicap a honey badger's hunting; therefore, they are usually left back at the den, where they can be vulnerable. It has been documented that other honey badgers will drag cubs from their dens and attack them, attempting to kill them. Due to cannibalistic threats such as this, only half of honey badger cubs will live to adulthood.
As the cub grows up, its ability to navigate the tough terrain of the desert improves by learning from its mother to not only walk, but to also climb trees to chase snakes. The honey badger is not born with these vital skills for survival. They must be learned.
Once a mother comes back into heat and is ready to rear another cub, the other cub is old enough and skilled enough to survive alone, so it makes its own way in the world, leaving its mother behind. This happens a few months after the cub has been born.
Etymology and pronunciation Ratel is Afrikaans, from Middle Dutch, rattle, honeycomb (either from its cry or its taste for honey).[3] In English it is accented on the first syllable, and the "a" is pronounced as in "father." Look up Wiktionary:Swadesh lists for Afrikaans and Dutch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
The Killer Badger - Main article: Killer badger
The Killer badger is a creature found in a number of modern urban myths from Basra (Al Basrah) province, Iraq, where it was said to have attacked both people and livestock. It has since been identified as the ratel, inflated by rumor.[4] It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into ratel. ...
An urban legend or urban myth is similar to a modern folklore consisting of stories often thought to be factual by those circulating them. ...
Basra province, or Al Basrah province, is a province in the nation of Iraq. ...
References - ^ http://www.badgers.org.uk/badgerpages/honey-badger-04.html
- ^ http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6222574655784103864&q=land+of+the+tiger&total=271&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1
- ^ The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Answers.com 01 Nov. 2006.
- ^ Weaver, Matthew (2007-07-12), "Basra badger rumour mill", The Guardian (2007-07-16)
- Philp, Catherine (2007-07-12), "Bombs, guns, gangs - now Basra falls prey to the monster badger", The Times (2007-07-16)
- Baker, Graeme (2007-07-13), "British troops blamed for badger plague" The Telegraph (2007-07-16)
- BBC News (2007-07-12) "British blamed for Basra badgers", BBC (2007-07-16)
External links
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