Preventing adverse human-wildlife impacts is one of the many challenges in conservation. As this footage shows, certain animals will always find a way around our best-laid plans.
Anchia Harmse submitted this interesting footage to Latest Sightings. She filmed it at Tambotie Tented Camp in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
“Animal-proof” dustbin
This video begins with something different. We’re shown a close-up view of a manufacturer’s bold claim.
To stop wildlife from getting into the trash, humans have come up with creative ways to prevent this from happening.
Mostly successful
To prevent animals, like baboons and vervet monkeys, from opening the dustbins, the manufacturer invented a unique sliding pole attachment.
For some animals, such as those mentioned above, it has proven to be a successful deterrent. However, one species just won’t take no for an answer.
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Enter the honey badger
Consequently, as the video continues, the species in question waddles into view. It is a honey badger: a tenacious bundle of intelligence, brawn, and stubbornness rolled into one.
As the meme accurately states, “Honey badger don’t care”. No matter what the world throws at them, they find a way to overcome.
Sniffing for scraps
Subsequently, a second badger appears. As it does so, the first raises its nose to the rim of the bin, eager to find some tasty scraps.
However, from that side, the badger can only lift the bin’s lid slightly. So far, the device is working.
Meanwhile, a third badger arrives, probably the offspring of the initial pair. The kit learns everything it needs to know from its attentive parents, including “bad” habits.
A different approach
Having tried and failed to get into the bin from one side, the clever badger tries a different approach. Circling the bin, it tries lifting the lid from beneath the pole attachment.
Amazingly, from this position, it not only lifts the lid but manages to get its upper body into the bin using its strong forelegs.
Subsequently, having found a tasty snack, the badger drops back to the ground and scuttles off to enjoy its prize.
Meanwhile, the youngster circles, frustrated that it hasn’t found anything to eat nearby.
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Imitation fails
Accordingly, the pup decides to imitate its parent’s success. Having watched carefully, it goes exactly where it has just watched its parent find a way in.
However, possibly because it is still too small, it cannot lift the lid. Undeterred, it circles the bin to see if it will have better luck from the opposite side.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, the youngster still can’t find the leverage to lift the lid.
I’ll be back
Consequently, the frustrated pup resumes its never-ending search for food in the surrounding area, getting ever closer to where Anchia is filming proceedings.
As it passes below her, it raises its head and looks directly at the camera, as if to say, “You may have won this time, but I’ll be back when I’m stronger!”
Hopefully, by then, someone will have invented a badger-proof bin, too.