The remarkable footage was captured earlier this year by Roselyne Kerjosse while on safari in Chobe National Park. At the beginning of the clip, the badger appears dead. Trapped in the twisted claws of a large python, the immobile ratel seems unlikely to act as an escape. Fortunately for the badger, help arrived in the unexpected form of a pair of black-backed jackals who came forward to investigate the commotion. Momentarily distracted by a biting jackal, the python loosened its grip long enough for the badger to break free.
Seemingly undeterred by her near-suffocation, the honey badger quickly got to work dispatching the python, with a little unwitting help from the jackals who were also interested in the considerable food. Neither predator was willing to back down and soon a tug-of-war broke out between jackal and badger with the unfortunate snake playing the rope. It looks like the badger finally won after dragging his prey into a bush where he could taunt her in peace.
The honey badger’s nocturnal habits and reasonably small size can make it difficult to spot in the wild. Catching a glimpse of one is a rare treat and seeing a badger embroiled in an all-out battle for possession of a python carcass is extra special. Adding to their unrivaled value, badgers also have thick, baggy fur that’s difficult for predators to penetrate, so both snakes and jackals had trouble gripping the crafty carnivore.
Everything from scorpions and moles to barking geckos, porcupines, and, of course, snakes, are on the honey badgers’ menu (not to mention the occasional baked treat). True to their name, badgers also attack bee nests for honey using their stinging anal glands to fumigate the hive before tearing it open with their strong claws. However, it is not only the honey that attracts the crafty omnivores, they also tease the juicy bee larva.
Badgers are often followed by other opportunistic predators, such as goshawks and jackals, looking for an easy meal. Another game of predatory tug-of-war broke out in August this year in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park when a honey badger caught a squirrel and was unwilling to share its prize with a jackal. Elisabeth Ann Moss was there to capture the action:
Leave a Reply