This morning my guests and I had the most amazing sighting! It easily fits into my top three sightings, (just under a Leopard killing a Duiker in front of the vehicle and then Lions chasing the Leopard off and eating the Duiker themselves.) We were following two sub-adult Lions, a male and a female, and our largest adult Lioness as they wandered and sniffed and enjoyed the crisp morning.
The young female started getting very alert and then her brother as well. The older female watched them but did not move from her course. Then the young female ran and pounced. Her brother followed and we started to hear strangling noises. As we came around the bushes, the young male had a two year old Honey Badger cub in its jaws. The Honey Badger was struggling, growling, and hissing but the Lion’s grip was too firm. The young female Lion was trying to get her paws and jaws on the Honey Badger’s mother but she was unsuccessful and she quickly gave up.
Finally, after about 10-15 minutes the male started eating the Honey Badger, being careful to keep it from the other two Lions. Then an awful stench permeated towards the vehicle. The Lion had punctured the Honey Badger’s anal sac. At this, he stopped eating and left the remainder. The adult Lioness, knowing all to well what was going on, started wandering back into the bushes, with the other two following.
Honey Badgers are known to be one of the most ferocious animals in the African Bush. The youngsters, however, are not as adept as the adults at getting away using teeth, claws, and a staunch stubbornness. I’m still in awe of what we saw this morning! Another fantastic and one of kind sighting at Kapama!
By: Noelle DiLorenzo – River Lodge Ranger
