THE RATEL OR HONEY-BADGER 127 



Here, however, is another side to the beast's 

 character. 



Ranger Duke reported under date March 31, 1908, 

 " A wildebeest bull was found dead on the north bank 

 of the Sabi River. On examining the carcass I found 

 it perfectly free from wounds, except that an artery was 

 torn, and the bull had evidently bled to death. We 

 followed the spoor back for a considerable distance, and 

 found signs of a prolonged struggle, the tracks of a 

 Honey-Badger being mixed with those of the wildebeest." 

 On several other occasions, since I have been in charge 

 of the Transvaal Game Reserves, other rangers have 

 reported such attacks occurring, and on each occasion the 

 antelope was done to death. Its motive may, in such 

 circumstances (I am not at all certain about it), be only 

 resentment of some interference or accidental injury ; 

 except for its passing fancy for carrion, it is not a meat 

 eater in the ordinary acceptation of the term, and in 

 none of the cases quoted was there any indication of its 

 having touched its adversary after death. On the other 

 hand, it may possibly have sucked the blood, and we 

 have occasionally found half-digested blood in the 

 stomachs of dead Ratels. 



In captivity the Honey-Badger becomes extremely 

 tame and gentle, and is a most amusing companion. 

 It displays an intense yearning for sugar, treacle, and, 

 in fact, any other sweet things, which must therefore 

 be carefully put out of its reach, with a mental note that 

 it displays great ingenuity in prising open the doors of 

 cupboards and presses in its search for delicacies. Where 

 closely confined it has an amusing way of passing the 

 time by turning somersaults. A tame one should be 

 given plenty of water, to bathe in, in hot weather. 



As an enemy of snakes the Ratel deserves well of man, 



