Honey Badger

• It is all but immune to the venom of many snakes.
• Its loose skin lets it twist round inside it to bite an attacker holding it by the neck.
• It will take on predators far larger than itself without hesitation.
• defensaIt is reckoned one of the most fearless mammals in the world for the way it takes on far larger predators, and its unusually thick, loose skin lets it shrug off bites.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)

Habitat & environment

A wide range of habitats across Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent: savanna, forest, desert and grassland

Birth weight

210 grams (from one source); other field studies describe litters of a single cub

Size at birth

Blind and helpless at birth

Sexual maturity

Not precisely known (field studies suggest it may be delayed until the animal wins a territory of its own)

Gestation / incubation

50-70 days according to field studies (other zoo sources give as much as 180 days)

Litter / clutch size

1 cub per litter according to field studies in the wild (though litters of 2 have been described in captivity)

Lifespan in captivity

Documented record of 31.3 years in captivity

Sources consulted: AnAge; ResearchGate; Wikipedia; SDZWA Library Fact Sheet; Animal Diversity Web

Best time: All year round in Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia, mostly at night; where it is not persecuted it also comes out by day.