Drawing of an African ratel (Mellivora ratel in 1911, Mellivora capensis[?] in 2010) at the edge of a pond
Date published 1911
Source 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. 22, p. 916
Author Smith
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Britannica_Ratel.png

The honey badger or ratel (Mellivora capensis) is the only species in the mustelid subfamily Mellivorinae and its only genus Mellivora. It is native to Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is primarily a carnivorous species and has few natural predators because of its thick skin and ferocious defensive abilities.