[reyt-l, raht-l] 
| a badgerlike carnivore, Mellivora capensis, of Africa and India. |
| honey badger n. See ratel. |
| ra·tel (rät'l, rāt'l) n. A carnivorous mammal (Mellivora capensis) of Africa and Asia, having short legs and a thick coat that is dark below and whitish above. Also called honey badger. [Afrikaans, from Middle Dutch, rattle, honeycomb (either from its cry or its taste for honey).] |
honey badger
(Mellivora capensis), badgerlike member of the weasel family (Mustelidae) noted for its fondness for honey. Ratels live in covered and forested regions of Africa and southern Asia. The adult stands 25-30 cm (10-12 inches) at the shoulder and has a heavily built, thick-skinned body about 60-77 cm (24-30 inches) long, plus a tail length of 20-30 cm. The ears are rudimentary; the upper body parts are whitish, but the lower parts, face, and legs are black-the two colours sharply separated
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