The honey badger (Mellivora capensis), also known as the ratel (/ ˈ r ɑː t əl / or / ˈ r eɪ t əl /), is a mammal widely distributed across Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is the only living species in both the genus Mellivora and the subfamily Mellivorinae .

Honey badgers have small eyes and large skulls. Their necks and shoulders are strong and muscular. Their hind feet are small, having short claws, whereas the front feet are, conversely, strong and wide, having large claws, which help badgers in catching prey and running.

2024年2月8日 · Honey Badgers have a relatively short, bushy tail, which serves as a balance and communication tool, particularly during social interactions and mating displays. Their ears are small and rounded, while their eyes are relatively small in comparison to their head size.

2024年2月16日 · The honey badger has a squat, powerfully-built body, relatively short legs and a short, bushy tail. Its eyes are small and dark and its ears barely protrude from the head. The honey badger's thick fur is black on the face, sides and undersides, and pale grey / white on the top of the head, neck and back.

2020年1月22日 · Honey badgers have deep-set, small, longsighted eyes, which are black and usually reflects light at night (Jeannin 1936). The tail is short and bushy with two anal glands on the posterior end. The two glands are diagonal from the anus and in male badgers it is surrounded by tissue near the scrotum.

Honey badgers can grunt, squeak, hiss, and whine, and are known for their deep and ominous growl. The female honey badger is left alone to give birth and raise her young. The expectant mother digs a nursery chamber and lines it with grass for her baby.

Though their body color varies with the geographic location, the general pattern is ventrally dark and dorsally light. The head is massive, with a broad gray-white stripe extending from the crown to the tip of the bushy tail.

The eyes are small, and the ears are little more than ridges on the skin. [3] . These are also possible adaptations to avoiding damage while fighting. [4] The honey badger has short and sturdy legs, with five toes on each foot. The feet have very strong claws, which are short on the hind legs and very long on the forelimbs.

2024年10月30日 · Eyes small; Black and deep-set; Farsighted (longsighted) Reflect light at night; Nose brown; Wide and well-developed; Adult pelage (from Vanderhaar and Hwang 2003) Hair; Coarser and thicker on the back, thinner on towards the belly; Length; Longest on the upper parts of the hindlimbs, rump, and tail; Up to 70 mm (2.8 in) long

Ratels have a thick skull inside their broad heads, small eyes and no external ears. Their ears are enclosed in the skin, with an opening that can be closed to keep out dirt when the ratel is digging.