Honey Badger
Mellivora capensis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyMustelidae (Mustelids)
- GenusMellivora (Ratels)
- SpeciesMellivora capensis (Honey Badger)
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 →
Closest Relatives at Ranthambore National Park
Tiger
Panthera tigris
Ruddy Mongoose
Herpestes smithii
Sloth Bear
Melursus ursinus
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Indian Gray Mongoose
Herpestes edwardsi
Asian Jackal
Canis aureus
Jungle Cat
Felis chaus
Bengal Fox
Vulpes bengalensis
Striped Hyena
Hyaena hyaena
Small Indian Civet
Viverricula indica
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of Honey Badger at Ranthambore National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.
🌅 When They're Spotted
Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)
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