Honey Badger

Mellivora capensis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Cordats)
ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
FamilyMustelidae (Mustelids)
GenusMellivora (Ratels)
SpeciesMellivora capensis (Honey Badger)

Insufficient data

overall probability at Tsavo West National Park

3 Verified records at Tsavo West National Park

🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

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. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Tsavo West National Park

Panthera leo

Panthera pardus

Genetta genetta

Helogale parvula

Crocuta crocuta

Acinonyx jubatus

Lycaon pictus

Mungos mungo

Leptailurus serval

Ichneumia albicauda

Galerella sanguinea

Caracal caracal

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Honey Badger at Tsavo West National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Probability
1	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	40–50%
2	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	20–30%
3	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	20–30%
4	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	10–20%
5	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	10–20%
6	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	10–20%
7	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	5–10%
8	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
9	Bale Mountains National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Insufficient data
10	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	Insufficient data
11	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
12	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
13	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
14	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	Insufficient data
15	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Insufficient data
16	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
17	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	Insufficient data
18	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	Insufficient data
19	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
20	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
21	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
22	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
23	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
24	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	Insufficient data
25	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
26	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
27	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data

← Back to Tsavo West National Park

Honey Badger

Closest Relatives at Tsavo West National Park

Lion

Leopard

Northern Small-spotted Genet

Common Dwarf Mongoose

Spotted Hyena

Cheetah

Painted Hunting Dog

Banded Mongoose

Serval

White-tailed Mongoose

Slender Mongoose

Caracal

📅 Monthly Probability

🌅 When They're Spotted

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found