Honey Badger
Honey BadgerHoney BadgerHoney BadgerHoney Badger

Honey Badger

Mellivora capensis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Kruger National Park
105 Verified records at Kruger National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The honey badger (Mellivora capensis), also known as the ratel ( or ), is a mammal widely distributed across Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is the sole living representative of the Mellivorinae subfamily of the Mustelidae. It has a fairly long body, with a distinctly thick-set and broad back, and remarkably loose skin, allowing the badger to turn and twist freely within it. The largest terrestrial mustelid in Africa, the honey badger measures 55 to 77 cm (22 to 30 in) long and weighs up to 16 kg (35 lb). Sexual dimorphism has been recorded in this species, with males being larger and heavier than females. It has two pairs of mammae, and an eversible anal pouch. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Honey Badger sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 105 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Kruger National Park

African Clawless Otter
NT

African Clawless Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Aonyx capensis

<5% · Rare
Spotted-necked Otter
NT

Spotted-necked Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hydrictis maculicollis

Insufficient data
Lion
VU

Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera leo

50–60% · Likely
Spotted Hyena
LC

Spotted Hyena

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Crocuta crocuta

40–50% · Likely
Leopard
VU Endemic

Leopard

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera pardus

40–50% · Likely
Common Dwarf Mongoose
LC

Common Dwarf Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Helogale parvula

30–40% · Possible
Painted Hunting Dog
EN

Painted Hunting Dog

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lycaon pictus

30–40% · Possible
Cheetah
VU

Cheetah

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Acinonyx jubatus

20–30% · Possible
Slender Mongoose

Slender Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Galerella sanguinea

10–20% · With luck
Banded Mongoose
LC

Banded Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mungos mungo

10–20% · With luck
African Wildcat
LC

African Wildcat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Felis lybica

5–10% · With luck
African Civet
LC

African Civet

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Civettictis civetta

5–10% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
5–10
Feb
5–10
Mar
<5
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
10–20
Aug
20–30
Sep
10–20
Oct
10–20
Nov
<5
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
40–50%
2 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
3 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
20–30%
4 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
10–20%
5 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
10–20%
6 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
7 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
8 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
9 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
10 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
Insufficient data
11 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
12 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
13 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
14 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
15 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
16 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
17 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
Insufficient data
18 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
Insufficient data
19 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
20 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
21 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
22 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
23 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
24 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
25 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
26 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
27 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Honey Badger in Kruger National Park?

About 11% of wildlife watchers report a Honey Badger sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 105 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Honey Badger in Kruger National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Honey Badger in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.

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