Feisty, stubborn, smelly, and adventurous, at 14 weeks old "Badger Girl," the Honey Badger cub, is exhibiting all the trademark charms of her species. Truth be told, veterinarians at the Johannesburg Zoo are still not totally sure about Badger Girls' sex… first they thought it was a girl, then a boy, and now they are just plain unsure. Time will tell.
Despite the "sweet" name Honey Badgers are actually quite fearless and, when necessary, ferocious. They get their name for following the call of the Honey Guide (bird) to a beehive. This partnership works well as the badger opens the beehive, surviving the attack from angry bees, and shares some of the spoils with the bird.
(Above: Badger Girl at 10-12 days old)
Badger Girl was an unexpected discovery in her den after her parents were moved to a different exhibit. Zoo staff shared this first hand description with ZooBorns: She was raised on Royal Canine puppy formula, drank quite easily once the correct feeding nipple was found but proved to be very stubborn, only drinking when she needed to drink and not when you wanted her to do so. She is now more on solids. She is showing the signs of adult honey badgers, stalking guinea fowl in the Zoo, tail upright and crawling low to the ground. She is extremely smelly and scent marks everything and everyone.
(Immediately above and below: Badger Girl at 10-11 weeks)
See more of Badger Girl below the fold!
While outwardly similar to American Badgers, Honey Badgers are more closely related to weasels and martens. Their boldness and toughness often make them highly effective and persistent chicken hunters, much to the chicken farmers' chagrin. Honey Badgers are the symbol of the Johannesburg Zoo.
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