Hello honey badger! byFrank Malisa.
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ABOUT RATEL (HONEY BARGER)?
This a small that animal weighs about 8.2 kgs but with a lot amazing abilities.
It’s can be identified by its two separation colours which in upper part looks white or grayish sometimes white, its lower part looks black. Such an puzzling choice of colours, too. Lack of external ears is another evidence to identify this animal. It lives in underground dens. It is omnivorous but mostly live on honey. Another wonderful choice of food!
This animal is very brave and strong, its forelegs claws are very strong and sharp. In its life it does not know the name fear “It is totally fearless” Whenever it confronts with any animal it doesn’t matter how huge is the animal. This is amazing courage. Even sometimes it starts a fight with absurd reason . What is even more amazing, when fighting with male animal, its first start attacking the scrotum! What an amazing choice of a soft spot!
Despite of being such crazy, it has got its close friend which they associate together in their life, this friend is the bird called Honey Guide better known as indicator. When the Honey guide find a bee hive/nest somewhere it goes direct to the Ratel den and display a repeated voice of which the Ratel can hear, identify and comes out. When Ratel get out the Honey guide start flying from one tree to another leading the Ratel to the destination while Ratel follows it, walking while looking up. After reaching the destination, the Honey guide display the voice which implies that here we are. Then the Ratel start climbing the tree, when it reaches the beehive it then start fumigating the hive by strong smell, the smell which make the bees to fly from the hive and even other die (???). Others they get real drunk! I don’t how true is this. I have been a Ratel before! Then after, its start scooping out the honey comb and feed on honey while the Honey guide hops down and start feed on honey comb left over. When all get well satisfied, they display the voice which implies thank you, thank u see you next time! And each one goes its own way. You can ask yourself why Rattle doesn’t get stung by the bees. Dense and stiff hairs which cover Rattle’s body protect it from the sting by bees.
Looking in deep at animal’s lives you’ll find a bit is like Human being’s life. Some guys travel to other places so as to see the nature of the places and the attractions found there. When they get in this places they become strangers then they must be guided by somebody who is local in the area because is the one knows well the place. After visiting this places and finish everything at the end of the day the visitors say thank you to the local one by giving some tips for leading them in the place which they don’t know. This is the same as Ratel (Visitor) and Honey guide (Local One). Now you know why I chose to study tour guiding – human honey guide!
NB: There has been a legend that if the person that was led to the beehive by the Honey guide did not leave anything for the bird, next time it lead him to a Rhino! Come with enough honey, guys!
By Frank Malisa
Mobile No: +255 755 024584
Email: frank.wildlife@yahoo.com
