These hyenas bit off more than they could chew when they attempted to harass a honey badger but immediately regret taking on the feisty creature! This amazing interaction played out on the road S127 near Satara in the Kruger National Park.
Honey badgers are well known for their “no-nonsense” attitudes and this particular badger lived up to its reputation. Spotted hyenas are a common sight in the Kruger National Park, whereas honey badgers are harder to find. These animals are rarely seen together making this an incredible sighting to have witnessed. Most animals don’t mess with honey badgers because they are aggressive and tenacious – despite their size!
65-Year-old retiree Neil Rosewall was lucky enough to view this amazing interaction and shared the photographs and story with LatestSightings.com:
“We made our way onto the S127 to see wild dogs had been around for a few days. After spending time with them, we proceeded toward the Timbavati picnic site. About a kilometer from the wild dogs we spotted a honey badger foraging near the road. While we were observing it two hyenas emerged from the bush and went straight up to the badger and started to harass it.”
“The honey badger was confident all the while and seemed in control of the situation all the time.”
“It tried to continue foraging, but they continued approaching and it looked as though they wanted to grab hold of it. The badger lost its temper and started snarling and growling at the hyenas. They seemed surprised and backed off a little. The badger then went on a full-out attack and chased both hyenas around. Getting in a bite here and there.”
“The hyenas learned their lesson due to the badger’s aggression and wandered off back into the bush, and the badger continued in the opposite direction. It is always good to drive slowly if you want to see the smaller and more interesting things in the Park.”
“Always have your camera at the ready, sightings appear quickly and disappear even faster. This was very rare for us, as in over 60 years of visiting Kruger we had never seen such interaction.”
SOUTH AFRICA Although overwhelming in size and number, the leopard mother and two young cubs still cannot defeat the honey badger.
Field guide Dan Fiser and visitor Paola Murguia filmed a dramatic battle between three leopards and honey badgers in Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa, Latest Sightings reported on October 10.
One of the most fearless creatures in the animal kingdom, honey badgers don’t give up easily when provoked, even when they are outnumbered in size and number. Experts have noted that honey badgers confront animals three times as large and will find ways to defeat their enemies.
“We were parked near the mother leopard and her two cubs on the banks of the Sand River. We followed them as they moved upstream. A pair of leopard cubs stepped into the reed bushes, and then we heard. heard a loud noise and the mother leopard reacted. Next, all three leopars appeared, struggling with a honey badger.Instead of trying to run away, the honey badger stayed and fought, even at times. even reversed the situation,” Fiser said.
At first, Fiser and Murguia assumed that the leopard family had caught something. They were surprised when they realized it was a honey badger because the animal is known for its grit and endurance. Three cheetahs try to take down the honey badger – a battle that is generally considered unfair. But in the end, the honey badger slowly walked away as if nothing had happened.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime sight. An unbelievable battle between two formidable animals. Never underestimate the one below,” Fiser shared.
The honey badger (Mellivora capensis) is distributed mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran and western Asia. Their food includes honey, insects, reptiles, birds, mammals, roots, seeds, and fruits. The honey badger possesses thick skin, strong claws, sharp teeth and has good poison resistance. They are known for their grit and ferocity despite their small body size.