Mellivora capensis
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
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.
The honey badger is a solitary animal that can be active at any time of day, depending on the location. It is primarily a carnivorous species and has few natural predators because of its thick skin, strength and ferocious defensive abilities. Adults maintain large home ranges, and display scent-marking behavior. The species has no fixed breeding period. After a gestation of 50–70 days, a female will give birth to an average of one to two cubs that will remain under her care for 1–1+1⁄4 years. Because of its wide range and occurrence in a variety of habitats, it is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. In popular media, the honey badger is best known as an aggressive, intelligent animal that is fearless and tough in nature. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterberg Plateau Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 2 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 3 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Moremi Game Reserve | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 5 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 7 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Prague Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 3 | Tierpark Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Nandankanan Zoological Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 5 | Nehru Zoological Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Johannesburg Zoo | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 7 | Kano Zoo | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | |
| 8 | Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Tanganyika Wildlife Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Havana Zoo | 🇨🇺 Cuba | |
| 11 | Naples Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Belgrade Zoo | 🇷🇸 Serbia | |
| 13 | Living Treasures "Wild" Animal Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 14 | World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 15 | Hartbeespoort Dam Snake and Animal Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 16 | Rákosův pavilon | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 17 | Velemlokárium | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 18 | Audu Bako Zoo | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | |
| 19 | Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 20 | Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 21 | フクロウとキタキツネの森 | 🇯🇵 Japan |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Honey Badger sighting in Etosha National Park on a given day, based on 39 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 24th most-seen of the 37 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Honey Badger in Etosha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, the lowest month. That is one of Etosha National Park's wettest months, with about 50 mm of rain against almost none in June.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Honey Badger sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
2nd of 8
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Honey Badger sightings, Etosha National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%. The best odds are in Waterberg Plateau Park (Namibia, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same order: Carnivora
The closest relatives of the Honey Badger that you can see in Etosha National Park (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Lion (about 70%), Spotted Hyena (about 60%) and Banded Mongoose (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Honey Badger is recorded against all the mammals logged in Etosha National Park (39 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
