In the wild, size doesn't always matter. The little ratel is a greedy beast that is surprisingly strong and shows no fear when facing a larger predator. A skilled hunter, the ratel also has a sweet tooth. It cracks open beehives to eat the honey inside, which is why it's sometimes called the "honey badger."
The Skinny: The ratel's skin is one of the beast's best defenses. It's too thick for most predators to bite through, and is so loose that the ratel can twist around and bite at any enemy that has a grip on its neck.
Back Off: Ratels are such fierce creatures that much larger predators shy away from confrontations. Even lions sometimes abandon their kill if challenged by a ratel.
Balanced Diet[]
The ratel's sharp teeth cut into prey.
Besides honey, the ratel samples all kinds of food and comes well equipped for the job. With super-size, sharp claws on its front legs, the ratel will dig another animal (such as a mouse) out of its burrow. It also uses its claws to tear away bark from trees to find insect grubs. An expert climber, the ratel searches tree tops for bird nests and eats the helpless young.
Dig It: The ratel's claws can be lethal weapons, but they also come in handy for other tasks. The little animal will dig a burrow to avoid extreme heat and excavate a dried-up stream or riverbed to find water.
Stinky Stuff: The ratel's secret honey-gathering weapon is a gland under its tail that emits a foul-smelling liquid. The creature sprays this into the beehive to neutralize the bees and keep them from stinging.
Sweet Partnership[]
- The ratel and the black-throated honeyguide have something in common: They both love honey. The bird keeps an eye out for bees and follows them to their hive.
- Then the honeyguide attracts the attention of the ratel by fluttering its wings. The bird leads the ratel back to the beehive.
- After the ratel tears open the hive and feasts on the honey, the honeyguide waits its turn and eats the scattered pieces of honeycomb.
Trading Card[]
Trivia[]
- The ratel is featured on several Monster Mania cards:
- It is first featured in Dining Out on Monster Mania 9.
- The ratel's trading card is featured on Monster Mania 21.