I‘I’ve been asked a dozen times – usually by children – what my favorite animal is. I never thought much about this subject so maybe I should have mumbled ‘leopard’ or ‘tiger’ or ‘elephant’ or maybe ‘snow leopard’ without committing. But then I realized that there was one small animal that took the pants off of these bigger animals and rightly so number one. Sadly, I’ve never seen it in the wild – but what I’ve seen in TV documentaries is more than enough to seal the deal. A ratel or honey badger.
Ratels are members of the weasel family but minus all the loose, wily weasels are known for. Very low on the ground are good-looking dudes (and dudettes – the sexes are the same even though the dudes are big) about a foot tall, wearing nice black-and-white striped coats with silver-gray, charcoal undercoats. They are small but have strong muzzles armed with sharp teeth, their ears are small and lie towards their heads. They have thick skin and wear their green clothing loosely on their bodies – all of which have survival value as we will see. They are common in Africa and are found in the Middle East and India – although here, they have sadly been largely neglected. We know very little about how many of them live in India – they have been reported occasionally in all parts of the country in swampy forests and grasslands, and are considered rare.
What drew me to them was their never-say-die, street-fighting attitude. These guys are eager to take on all comers. At one show, I watched in shock and awe, as one of the clans defiantly prided itself on the increasingly angry and apparently disorganized lions it thought were on its way. immediately delicious snacks. There is no chance. Screaming and screaming, this mighty animal leaped and twisted and leaped at the lords of the forest who made them jump back in shock and confusion. What was this pipsqueak explosion – and look at it! It will remove that shaving brush from the end of your tail in a second and all your pride! Yes, lions pounce and pounce on this angry little animal – but it wears its coat so loosely that it’s easy to twist it loose and sneakily launch a counter attack. In most cases, the lions strike hastily – and in a dignified way – retreat as much as possible : there is no point in confronting this madman who is clearly lost!
The worst thing is that he used to chase them as if saying, ‘abbe kaha bhagta hain aake lado – main batata hoon (Where are you running, come and fight if you have balls, I’ll show you)’! When faced with hunting dogs, badgers are said to scream like bear cubs! Dogs find it almost impossible to catch these animals – what with their tough and loose skins.
Interestingly, it is said that young cheetah cubs, also wear gray woolen clothes on their backs like rats, so that they are left alone by predators!
Although they do not spoil the reputation of curious lions and tigers, ratels go hunting for small animals with the same level of violence – and are important in keeping the population of such animals – rats, lizards and the like under control, to get them out of their holes. and maintaining a balanced ecosystem. They are omnivores and care about bees and their hives as they raid their hives for honey and bee larvae. Their strong claws can tear apart termite mounds easily. Sheep, antelope, black mamba – they’re all on the menu. In India they are thought to dig up and possibly eat human corpses! However, it does not seem to be true that the honeyguide leads the badgers to the beehives and the animal leaves part of the hive to its benefactor! They are believed to love chicken and are considered a major threat to chicken coops, where they kill more than is necessary. They balance this diet with berries, roots and bulbs.
Often solitary (who would want to be friends with such a brooding animal?), poking and prodding in the grasslands, the mares meet a mate during the breeding season, which doubles the danger for all! Not much is known about it family life – unless two lambs are born. Their survival in the wild is unknown although captive animals have lived for 24 years.
What is amazing about this little animal is its fighting spirit, never-say-die – which is always ready to face all comers, regardless of their size or weight or numbers. You don’t have to be built like a gorilla to be able to scare others, something all those (even nations) who have been exploited should think about. Just go for the jugular and keep going until your enemy runs away or is ripped!
Sadly, very little research has been done on these animals in India – although they may have their own legion of open-mouthed fans. Although they are considered to be of ‘least concern’ by the IUCN, they are rare in India and have been given a high level of protection (Schedule I) under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. Hunting, poaching and environmental degradation, remain a threat to this rare fire outbreak and although one should not get close to it, watching a company being hunted, or facing a powerful tiger can be an experience of a lifetime!
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