Nsele - means Honey badger in the Zulu language! The cultural belief is that should a honey badger come into your life a miracle has happed…

‘…The honey badger is distributed throughout Africa, south of the Sahara and is also found in parts of Asia. They inhabit just about every type of habitat from the open, dry savannah to the dense forest.  Honey badgers are omnivores, feeding on small birds, eggs, and insects, variety of bulbs, roots wild fruit and honey…

They are fond of honey and will dug out a hive in spite of being attacked by large numbers of bees. In fact, very few stings penetrate the skin.

The honey badger is stoutly built, tough-looking little beasts and stands 25 – 30cm at the shoulder with a mass of up to 12kg and body length of 70 – 80cm excluding the tail. 

Its coat is a dark grey on the back, with a lateral white stripe on either side extending from the head along the flanks and separating the grey of the back from the black of the face, under parts and limbs. The tail is short, somewhat bushy and held upright as the animal moves about.

The claws are “bear-like” and strong, also well adapted for digging. Honey badgers tend to be nocturnal and are therefore not often seen during the day.  They live singly or in pairs and are territorial. They are among the most courages animals in the African bush. They are extremely bold and when disturbed or cornered will attack an enemy many times their own size…’

Afrikaans: Ratel           

English: Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis)

Please note that the Honey Badger that is being handled in the images shown above is Stoffel, a tame member of the Raptor & Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Moholoholo.

Never try to handle a wild Honey Badger, as they are agressive and can cause severe injuries.

Come to Nsele and experience the miracle of the Lowveld in the valley of the Olifants, and be sure to be on the look out for this remarkable creature.