Honey badgers don't fear leopards!
If there is one creature of the animal kingdom that the Internet has blown up in popularity in memes and viral videos, it is the honey badger or Mellivora capensis as it is known in scientific circles. This critter has a nasty reputation of being willing and able to fight anything and everything.
They have sharp teeth, thick skin, and have been recorded as having a resistance to snake venom from dangerous reptiles like the cobra. Hearing all that, it makes you wonder if someone is blowing the reputation of this animal out of proportion.
Well, wonder about that no longer. Because this video of a honey badger defending her baby from a leopard in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa shows just how mean this animal can be!
That leopard appeared to have the honey badger's baby dead to rights until mother took notice. That leopard did not even bother to try fighting the honey badger. The video's description states the mother later dragged the injured cub into a termite mound for protection. The stunned leopard must now look for lunch elsewhere. It's probably not every day an animal of that size tries to pick a fight with the spotted cat.
The honey badger's home ranges spread across most of sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and much of India. Technically, these carnivores are members of the mustelids or weasel family and their relatives include badgers, ferrets, minks, and more. They are also related to the wolverine, which has an equally nasty reputation. Short tempers seem to run in the family for these animals. It should be noted there have been recorded instances of leopards preying on the honey badger. They sometimes also fall prey to hyenas, crocodiles and other big cats. Although they often don't go down without a fight.
The lesson from today's video is to give the honey badger a wide berth if you are fortunate enough to see one in the wild. Because they aren't afraid to pick a fight!
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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