Honey Badger

Download Subtitles

Transcript

0:00:04 > 0:00:08On Deadly 60 I've had loads of incredible animal encounters.

0:00:08 > 0:00:11Here's just one of my many favourites.

0:00:13 > 0:00:16This is Deadly 60 Bites!

0:00:16 > 0:00:19This time on Deadly 60 the crew and I are in South Africa

0:00:19 > 0:00:23to find another contender for my list.

0:00:23 > 0:00:26And she is a world record holder.

0:00:28 > 0:00:30But what does she hold the world record for?

0:00:30 > 0:00:34Well, it's for being the most fearless animal on the planet!

0:00:34 > 0:00:38She covers so many miles foraging for food,

0:00:38 > 0:00:41that I'll have to put my running shoes on just to keep up with her.

0:00:43 > 0:00:45And my lazy crew are nowhere to be seen!

0:00:45 > 0:00:49So I'm gonna have to film it myself.

0:00:52 > 0:00:54I think we've lost him, Mark!

0:00:58 > 0:01:03This is the ratel, better known as the honey badger.

0:01:03 > 0:01:06She punches well above her weight!

0:01:07 > 0:01:10As the name suggests, these badgers do love honey.

0:01:10 > 0:01:13But those teeth and claws are razor sharp

0:01:13 > 0:01:17and can cut through bone, flesh, even wire.

0:01:17 > 0:01:21They even have some immunity to venomous snake bites

0:01:21 > 0:01:23and they're scared of nothing.

0:01:24 > 0:01:28Wrap this all up in an incredibly thick protective coat

0:01:28 > 0:01:30and you have one seriously mean package.

0:01:39 > 0:01:42This is Buster. She's a young female

0:01:42 > 0:01:45and one of the only honey badgers in the world

0:01:45 > 0:01:47that's habituated to people.

0:01:47 > 0:01:51In the wild, these animals are on the move all day, foraging for food.

0:01:51 > 0:01:54To keep Buster happy and in tip-top shape,

0:01:54 > 0:01:56she's taken out for regular exercise

0:01:56 > 0:01:59and we're lucky enough to join her and see her in action.

0:01:59 > 0:02:01Off we go!

0:02:02 > 0:02:06Buster may live in captivity, but she's still a wild animal.

0:02:06 > 0:02:09I'll be careful - I don't want to be on the receiving end

0:02:09 > 0:02:11of those teeth and claws!

0:02:11 > 0:02:13Aghh!

0:02:13 > 0:02:14Phew!

0:02:14 > 0:02:17I'll tell you, when she snarls at you!

0:02:17 > 0:02:18SNARLING

0:02:18 > 0:02:21We've hidden a few treats for Buster to hunt down.

0:02:21 > 0:02:24We'll follow her and see what an awesome animal she is.

0:02:24 > 0:02:28The honey badger is an absolute whirling dervish!

0:02:29 > 0:02:32She's continuously on the move

0:02:32 > 0:02:36and can cover great distances in a day, always looking for food.

0:02:36 > 0:02:40Nose to the ground, tracking every scent they can find.

0:02:40 > 0:02:42- Good girl! - VICIOUS SNARLING

0:02:44 > 0:02:45Whoa!

0:02:45 > 0:02:50I've never been so terrorised by something so small in my life!

0:02:56 > 0:02:58Oh, crikey!

0:02:58 > 0:03:02When she turns, it's a really frightening sight!

0:03:02 > 0:03:05I know she's only small, but it puts the wind up you!

0:03:07 > 0:03:10I think she's found something.

0:03:10 > 0:03:12Once she gets in with those claws,

0:03:12 > 0:03:16she's like an excavator, like a mini JCB!

0:03:16 > 0:03:20They can get through pretty much anything.

0:03:20 > 0:03:23Look at the dust going up in the air.

0:03:23 > 0:03:24Go on!

0:03:24 > 0:03:27Buster's long claws are perfectly designed

0:03:27 > 0:03:30for digging through this hard, baked earth.

0:03:30 > 0:03:31Wow!

0:03:31 > 0:03:33Oh, she's got it.

0:03:33 > 0:03:35SNARLING

0:03:35 > 0:03:39I've worked with animals all my life and I know that sound.

0:03:39 > 0:03:41It means, "Don't come any closer, I'm eating.

0:03:41 > 0:03:43"If you do, I'll bite you!"

0:03:45 > 0:03:47Honey badgers are in the weasel family,

0:03:47 > 0:03:50which contains some of the meanest animals on earth.

0:03:50 > 0:03:53Weasels, stoats, things like wolverines,

0:03:53 > 0:03:55they're all notorious

0:03:55 > 0:03:57for being capable of taking on other animals

0:03:57 > 0:04:01that are way bigger than they are and having no fear whatsoever.

0:04:05 > 0:04:08As a reward for having been so good,

0:04:08 > 0:04:12I think we'll let her have some of her favourite food.

0:04:12 > 0:04:14What's that, eh?

0:04:14 > 0:04:16What's that?

0:04:16 > 0:04:17Honey.

0:04:22 > 0:04:23Whoa!

0:04:23 > 0:04:25She may be only small,

0:04:25 > 0:04:29but not even a lion would get between a honey badger and her food.

0:04:29 > 0:04:31HE SQUEALS

0:04:36 > 0:04:40There is nothing honey-sweet about the honey badger.

0:04:40 > 0:04:44This animal has to go on the Deadly 60.