Difference Between Honey Badger and Badger

Honey Badger vs Badger

Badgers are very nasty members of the Order: Carnivora. Honey badger is one species of the 12 badger species, and there are many common characteristics for both of them as well as some important distinct characters. They both belong in the same taxonomic family, Mustelidae. This article intends to discuss the difference of honey badgers from other badger species with regard to their behaviours and other aspects of biology.

Honey Badger

Honey badger, Mellivora capensis, belongs to one of the Mustelidae subfamilies, Mellivorinae. They are native to Africa, Middle East and Indian subcontinent. Honey badgers are generally carnivorous animals, but sometimes they feed on herbivorous such as berries and roots as well. Honey badger has the least specialized food habits among all the badgers, so that they can survive from food scarcity. They have a long body, small and flat head with a short muzzle. Their ears are as small as almost invisible. Short and strong legs are very useful for fast running. An adult’s body could measure almost a foot from nose to base of tail. Their small tail is full of long and black hairs. Honey badgers’ legs and ventral parts are black in colour, while the dorsal parts from head to tail is ashy grey in colour. The ashy gray colour fades to white towards the head. They have five digits on each paw and are covered with very sharp claws. Honey badgers are mostly solitary animals, but they hunt in groups during mating season, in May. Except in mating season, they live in burrows made by them. However, they are very aggressive and fearless animals. They are barbaric fighters and quite notorious for those behaviours. Despite their small size, honey badgers sometimes can fight large animals from their sharp claws and teeth with their high temper.


There are 12 species of badgers in three subfamilies known as Melinae, Mellivorinae, and Taxidiinae. Badgers are in general, short legged and heavyset animals with omnivorous food habits. Their lower jaw is articulated with the upper jaw, which makes limited jaw movements but makes sure that jaws will never be dislocated. Badger has a long snout and tiny small ears. They are ashy-grey coloured animals with three white lines are running along the head. The inner side and the ventral side of the body are paler than the dorsal side. Badgers live in burrows called as setts, and they dig those themselves. Some badger species prefer solitary lives, while others like communal living. Solitary species are more aggressive than the communal species.

What is the difference between Honey Badger and Badger?

• Badgers range in North America, Europe, and Asia, but honey badgers are native to Africa, Middleeast, and Indian subcontinent.

• Honey badgers are generally carnivorous and badgers are omnivorous. However, the diversity of food items is highest for honey badgers because of their versatility in eating preferences.

• Generally, badgers have a long head and snout, while honey badger has a small head and narrow snout.

• Badgers have visible small ears, but honey badger’s ears almost invisible.

• Honey badger has more prominent sharp claws than badgers do.

• The ventral side of the body of honey badger is black, but it is and paler in many other badgers.

  • Felicity Richards

    What kind of badgers live in IL? I saw one the other day.