Honey badger

The honey badger, or ratel (Mellivora capensis), is a mustelid found across Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is the only living member of the subfamily Mellivorinae and the biggest terrestrial mustelid in Africa. In popular culture, it is famous for its aggressive, fearless, and tough reputation.

Taxonomically, Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber first described it in 1777 using a skin from the Cape of Good Hope, naming it *Viverra capensis*. Gottlieb Conrad Christian Storr proposed the genus name *Mellivora* in 1780, and John Edward Gray suggested the tribe name *Mellivorina* in 1865. Though once placed with badgers in the Melinae subfamily, it is now considered closer to martens (Guloninae) and is given its own subfamily, Mellivorinae.

Sixteen subspecies were proposed in the 19th and 20th centuries, based on size and the amount of white or grey on the back. As of 2005, 12 are recognized as valid.

The species first appeared in the middle Pliocene in Asia. Extinct relatives date back at least 7 million years to the Late Miocene, including *Mellivora benfieldi* from South Africa and Italy, *Promellivora* from Pakistan, and *Howellictis* from Chad. More distant relatives include *Eomellivora* (which evolved into several species in the Old and New Worlds) and the giant, long-legged *Ekorus* from Kenya.

The genus name *Mellivora* comes from Latin for "honey eater," and *capensis* refers to the Cape of Good Hope, where the type specimen was found. The word "ratel" may come from Dutch for "rattle" or from *raat*, meaning honeycomb.

The honey badger has a fairly long body with a thick-set, broad back. Its skin is remarkably loose, allowing it to turn and twist freely inside it. The neck skin is 6 mm thick, an adaptation for fighting others of its kind. The head is small and flat, with a short muzzle, small eyes, and ears that are little more than ridges—another possible adaptation to avoid injury in fights. It has short, sturdy legs with five toes on each foot, armed with very strong claws (short on the hind legs, remarkably long on the forelimbs). It is partially plantigrade, with thickly padded soles that are bare up to the wrists. The tail is short and covered in long hairs, except at the base.

Adults measure 23 to 28 cm at the shoulder and 55–77 cm in body length, with a tail adding 12–30 cm. Males are larger and heavier than females. In Africa, males weigh 9 to 16 kg, females 5 to 10 kg. Mean weights from different studies range from 6.4 to 12 kg, with a median of about 9 kg. This makes it the third largest badger (after the European badger and hog badger) and the fourth largest terrestrial mustelid (after the wolverine). However, three wild females from Iraq averaged 18 kg, similar to male wolverines or male European badgers in late autumn, showing they can grow much larger in good conditions. In contrast, an adult female and two males in India were small, weighing 6.4 kg and a median of 8.4 kg. Skull length is 13.9–14.5 cm in males and 13 cm in females.

The honey badger has two pairs of mammae and an eversible anal pouch (shared with hyenas and mongooses). The pouch’s smell is reportedly "suffocating" and may help calm bees when raiding hives. The skull resembles a larger version of a marbled polecat’s. Its dental formula is 3.1.3.1 / 3.1.3.1. Teeth often show irregular development—some are very small, set at odd angles, or missing. Subspecies *signata* has a second lower molar on the left side but not the right. Although it eats mostly soft foods, its cheek teeth are often heavily worn.

The honey badger is solitary and can be active at any time of day, depending on location. It is primarily carnivorous and has few natural predators due to its thick skin, strength, and ferocious defenses. Adults have large home ranges and use scent-marking. There is no fixed breeding period. After a gestation of 50–70 days, a female gives birth to one or two cubs, which stay with her for 1 to 1.25 years. Because of its wide range and presence in many habitats, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.