CONSERVATION veterinary staff are caring for a juvenile honey badger after it was found injured and in distress in the Western Shores section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
‘While it is not usual practice to intervene in natural processes in wildlife, in this case the badger was in a public area for a couple of days and visible to tourists, who were naturally upset and concerned,’ said Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Chief Veterinarian Dr Dave Cooper.
‘There was no sign of his mother and we presume she could have been killed by a predator such as a hyena – one of the few animals bold enough to take on such a feisty target.’
The juvenile is about three or four months old and is not yet weaned.
‘He is responding well to nursing care and gaining strength daily,’ said Cooper.
‘The ultimate goal with all orphans is to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild wherever possible.’
Despite being infrequently seen, honey badgers are common throughout the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and are classed as ‘least concern’ by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature).
Honey badgers are notorious for their strength, ferocity and toughness, and are intelligent animals known to make use of tools and ingenuity in both their hunting and escape tactics.
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