2004 Honey badger

Photo: Vladimír Motyčka, Prague Zoo

First to be bred naturally in Europe

The first two honey badgers in a Czech zoo arrived at Ruzyně Airport on 7th March 2001. Both came from the wild, specifically from Tanzania, and it was obvious that they were very young. However, it was not possible to determine whether or not they were related. After the mandatory quarantine, they were placed in what was then the Pavilion of Small Mammals, where they were given the names Čert and Káča (Devil and Kate). They made a harmonious couple, often sleeping together in a hollow stump.

In February 2004, both honey badgers moved into the new exhibit where they mated. Six weeks after the recorded mating, two cubs were born, which showed, among other things, that at least honey badgers from tropical parts of their range have a very short gestation period. The literature at the time gave a gestation period of 5-6 months! The twins were a male and a female, and right from the start the difference in size was clearly visible - male honey badgers are about a third larger than females. At six weeks old, the fully furred little honey badgers began to open their eyes and eventually grew into a very spry pair.

This experience and that gained from breeding other badgers, allowed us to determine honey badgers’ needs. The key points were separating the male from the pregnant female, creating as calm an environment as possible for the female immediately after birth, and assisting the smaller cub when twins are born. Thanks to this, other zoos are breeding honey badgers today.