The honey badger has a reputation as one of the toughest animals in Africa. It is only about the size of a medium dog, yet it stands up to lions, digs into beehives and eats venomous snakes. Sightings on safari are uncommon, which makes one all the more memorable.
Honey badger at a glance
| Other name | Ratel |
| Scientific name | Mellivora capensis |
| Family | Mustelids (weasel family) |
| Weight | About 6–14 kg |
| Diet | Almost anything: rodents, snakes, insects, larvae, honey, fruit, carrion |
| Active | Day or night, depending on area |
What it looks like
Honey badgers are low and stocky, with short legs and a broad back. The top of the body is white to silver-grey, and the underside and legs are black. The front feet have long, strong claws for digging.
Why it is so tough
Thick, loose skin
Its skin is thick and loose around the body. If a predator grabs it, the badger can twist around inside its skin and bite back.
Fearless defence
When threatened, honey badgers growl, raise their tails, and charge. They also release a strong smell from a gland at the base of the tail.
Venom resistance
Honey badgers show some resistance to certain snake venoms. They hunt cobras and other snakes and can recover from bites that would kill most animals their size.
What honey badgers eat
- Rodents, lizards, frogs and birds.
- Snakes, including venomous species.
- Scorpions and insects.
- Bee larvae and honey, which they dig out of hives.
- Fruit, roots and carrion.
They dig for much of their food, using their claws to tear into burrows, termite mounds and logs.
The honeyguide story
A well-known story says the greater honeyguide bird leads honey badgers to beehives and eats the wax once the badger opens the hive. Honeyguides do lead people to hives, a partnership well documented in parts of Africa. Evidence that they guide honey badgers is much weaker, so treat it as folklore.
Behaviour
- Mostly solitary, covering large distances while foraging.
- Active by day in quiet areas and at night where people are common.
- Use burrows for shelter and to raise young.
- Cubs stay with their mother for a year or more.
Where to see honey badgers in Tanzania
They live across most of Tanzania, but are rarely seen. Your best chances:
- Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, early in the morning.
- Ruaha and Nyerere, where fewer vehicles mean animals are more relaxed.
- Around camps at night, where they sometimes raid bins. Camps in unfenced areas secure food for this reason.
Spot one on safari
Longer stays and quieter parks improve your chances. Ruaha Fly-In offers remote game drives, and Serengeti & Crater covers the classic northern parks. Read more about small wildlife: the serval, the bushbaby and the colobus monkey.
Frequently asked questions
They have thick, loose skin that is hard to bite through and lets them twist around to fight back. They also have strong claws and teeth and an aggressive defence.
They show some resistance to certain snake venoms, which helps them survive bites that would kill other animals of their size. They are not fully immune.
Yes, but sightings are uncommon. They are seen most often early in the morning or late in the day, and around some camps at night.
