Honey Badger Scientific Name: Mellivora capensis Range: Most of Africa Habitat: Mostly dry terrains, but also in wetlands and grasslands Natural Diet: Rodents, birds, lizards, insects, turtles, snakes, and fruits; they also have a particular preference for honey Zoo Diet: Meat, rats, insect, and Iams cat food Physical  Characteristics: Honey badgers have a black body, low to the ground, with a whitish hood beginning on the head and continuing in a wide stripe down the length of the body. The legs are short but muscular and the body is very stocky, weighing in around 15-30 pounds. They also have incredibly thick skin that can avoid injury from arrows and even dog bites. Behavior: Honey badgers are active around dusk and overnight, but are also awake during the daytime hours. These animals are particularly ferocious hunters and are no stranger to fights with venomous snakes. They are also often found near human settlements, where they chew through fences, even wire mesh, to gain access to henhouses or other enclosures. Reproduction: Honey badger babies are called whelps, and there are usually 2 born to the mother each year. The gestation period is thought to be 6 months, although not much is known about the reproductive habits of these animals. Notes:   Honey badgers are known as ratels in South Africa.  The South African military named their armored tanks “ratels” after this fearless and ferocious animal.