Honey Badger

[nan]

wow

but I can watch only half... then it stop and "says" this video is not unavailable

which is the winner, if there is one ?

[Richprins]

It sort of ends in the middle, nana...but the snakes are sensitive to head injuries...

[Lisbeth]

Cunning honey badger snatches eagle chick

Posted on 7 September, 2018 by Guest Blogger in Animal Encounters, Destinations, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa, Wildlife



Written, and photographs, by Jacques Blignaut

One can never dictate to the bush what you want to see. You may have a wish list in your mind of what you would like to see, but it is never guaranteed that you’ll actually see anything that’s on your list. I have learnt this over many years of going to the bush and I always go with the attitude that everything I see is a bonus.

Then there is that one special sighting that comes along out of the blue – something that you would never expect to see in the bush and one that would probably top most wish lists!



We were in the Kgalagadi Transfontier Park in South Africa in August, and according to local sources there was a martial eagle and her chick nesting close to Veertiende Boorgat. We were excited at this news as I had never seen a martial eagle chick before, and decided to go and visit it later that evening.

We arrived at the nest but could not see the eagle nor the chick. So we decided to take a drive down to Derdiende Boorgat and then turn around and come back to the nest later. Upon our return I was happy to see the eagle was back and that there was a good chance we would be able to see her chick now.

But then I noticed something seemed not quite right…

The next moment a honey badger appeared in the nest! He had caught the chick!



I could not believe my eyes. We just watched on stunned as the badger made his way down the tree with the chick before making a quick getaway.

It is unclear if the eagle mother tried to attack the badger to protect her chick while it was still alive, as we only arrived at the scene after the chick was killed. While the badger was making off with the chick, the eagle just sat at the top of the tree and watched the whole episode unfold before her, uttering alarm calls every now and then. She did not attempt to attack the badger in the tree or when he dragged the dead chick out into the open.



We drove away five minutes later in disbelief. Never in my life had I seen anything like this – not even the black-maned lions of the Kalahari can beat this. This was definitely the most memorable sighting I have ever seen, although at the same time quite sad as the martial eagle only lays one egg about every two years.

[Flutterby]

That is an amazing sighting!!

[Richprins]

[Mel]

I've seen this before… but where? Wild Magazine? In any case it is an extraordinary sighting.
I'm just a bit sad for the parents who I got to "know" personally on our last trip. We watched them
preparing the arrival of the chick

[Lisbeth]

That's sad

The honey badgers are very opportunistic and will eat anything

[ExFmem]

AWESOME sighting, but

[Richprins]

A nice sequence by vinkie - 2013:

We left the S100 and took the S41,

A big Elephant appeared and then we saw our first daytime Honey Badger….it was so cool seeing this animal in real life. The Driver said it was very special seeing a Honey Badger during the day.

https://www.africawild-forum.com/viewto ... =46&t=2912

[Richprins]

VIDEO

https://twitter.com/i/status/1058747250711633920



Kruger Sightings
‏Verified account @LatestKruger
Nov 3

17:12
Honey badger in search for food
H14, 6.8km from the H9 turn-off
Near Phalaborwa
Tinged by Flip & Hanlie