Watch the mighty tussle here:
This action-packed sighting was recorded and sent to Latest Sightings by guide Dan Fiser Paola Murguia.
While on a game drive from &Beyond Kirkman’s Kamp in the Greater Kruger, they found a mother leopard and her two sub-adult cubs on the banks of the Sand River.
A rustle in the reeds
They said they were following the trio when “The two cubs walked into the reeds and we heard a loud commotion which the mother reacted to. Then all three appeared, wrestling with a honey badger.”
Honey badgers are solitary animals, found across Africa, southwest Asia, and the Indian sub-continent.
A one-sided battle?
For those unfamiliar with honey badgers, it would be easy to assume that there could only be one outcome. After all, leopards are, pound-for-pound, one of the strongest predators in Africa.
And, with three against one, surely the lone honey badger wouldn’t be able to fend them all off.
Surrounded but not surrendering
However, even surrounded, the honey badger was not about to go down without a fight. But, things don’t look good for it as the leopards tag-team their assault on their quarry.
Notably, it is the two cubs that are most active in attack. The mother leopard seems to be letting them learn how to tackle this new prey.
In the image above, she looks on while her cubs grab the honey badger at both ends.
Don’t mess with my mom
She only gets involved when directly challenged and backs off when her cubs resume their attack.
But, as the honey badger fights back ferociously, even she has to move quickly to avoid the counter-attack.
Choosing battles
As the leopards continue to harass the badger, it deals with the assaults one at a time, constantly spinning to face the most imminent threat.
Dynamite in a small package
As the battle wages, we get the sense that the three leopards realise this won’t be the simple object lesson previously assumed.
Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, the smaller badger gradually gets the upper hand as the leopards become more circumspect.
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No one ready to quit
Nevertheless, when opportunities present themselves, the leopards repeatedly try to subdue the fearless badger.
Only for it to once again wrestle free and go back on the offensive.
Weighing up the risks
For predators, serious injuries can spell death in the long term. Despite their best efforts, the leopards have failed to incapacitate the badger, and are at risk themselves.
As the belligerent badger continues to growl and posture, the leopards’ confidence fades while the badgers’ grows.
The victor emerges
Finally, with the leopards’ assault stalled, the triumphant honey badger trots off across the river. As the sun sets in the background, we imagine the leopards will have much to think about.
As for the honey badger… well, one couldn’t blame it for gloating a bit.
Nothing sweet about honey badgers
As the saying goes, “Honey badger don’t care!”
Stories abound of their fearlessness, ferocity and ingenuity. What gets them out of a lot of scrapes is a skin as thick and loose as their temperament.
As we see in the video, this enables them to absorb bites while still being able to wriggle around to counter-attack.
Strong jaws with sharp teeth and claws that attach to powerful, short legs mean they are well-equipped to defend themselves.
They are also resistant to venom and able to expel a foul-smelling substance to deter predators.
They are intelligent, resourceful and undeniably worthy of respect from all who encounter them.