The honey badger has earned a legendary reputation over the last 20 years as one of the meanest animals in nature. This has spawned many memes and parody videos about how tough they are, to the point that it seems unbelievable. However, the honey badger's reputation might not be too much of an exaggeration. Watch this video taken in South Africa's Kruger National Park to prove that point. This honey badger gets outnumbered by a mother leopard and her two nearly-grown cubs. For most smaller African animals, an attack by these three predators would be an instant death sentence.
However, the leopards have bitten off more than they can chew. They pin the honey badger down several times, making the fight seem over. Then, seconds later, the honey badger powers out of its predicament and bites back. This back-and-forth goes on for nearly a minute and a half before the three leopards realize this isn't a battle that isn't worth fighting, and the honey badger struts away triumphantly in victory.
The tourists who shot this footage noted in the video that they initially followed the leopards when the mother's two cubs walked into the reeds. That's where the honey badger was hiding at the time because they heard a loud sound, and then the fight moved outside the cover. In truth, the badger probably had a few openings there to try and make a break for it. However, it stood its ground and fought back viciously.
It's stunning that the badger gets pinned down by one of the big cats more than once and still manages to fight itself away. The way it struts away, acting as if nothing had happened, is perhaps the most stunning part of the video. No one can accuse a honey badger of not being tough!
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