Benjamin Wittenberg, a student at the University of Cape Town's (UCT) Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), made the exciting discovery of a honey badger just above campus on 3 April.
Benjamin Wittenberg, a student at the University of Cape Town's Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa , made the exciting discovery of a honey badger just above campus on 3 April. Honey badgers , also known as ratels, can be found across Africa , from the Western Cape to Morrocco - but are not typically in cities or even on the Cape Peninsula.
Wittenberg, the graduate student conducting this year's iCWild camera trap survey, said it was"super cool" to have recorded the honey badger."The most common animals we spot are domestic cats and porcupines, and we sometimes see caracals, cape grysbok, mongooses and genets", he said."The arrival of the honey badger has enriched biodiversity on Table Mountain - and challenges the caracal's status as a top predator in the area.
Dr Zoe Woodgate, who set up the original iCWild camera array, said it was yet to be established whether there was a sustainable population of honey badgers on the Cape Peninsula."There are rumours of honey badger den in Silvermine Nature Reserve," she said,"but as yet no sightings of any cubs". Wittenberg agreed."Honey badger cubs depend on their mothers for over a year, and we are certainly keeping a look out for a mother-cub pair.
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