Honey Badgers: Masters of Mayhem

Gr 5 Up—As expected from programs in this series, this fascinating and informative episode provides excellent production quality, and it immediately engages and connects the viewer to the subject. Honey badgers, known for their ferocity and courage, are also quite intelligent. While providing many interesting facts about the animals, the program features a conservationist trying to protect honey badgers from farmers and beekeepers, who might otherwise destroy them in retaliation for the raiding of farms and beehives. Additionally, a naturalist studies the mysterious animals in the wild in an effort to learn more about them. One captive badger, rescued but too dependent on humans to be released into the wild, is an escape artist par excellence, and demonstrates just how clever these creatures are as he foils all attempts to keep him confined. The havoc badgers wreak when they raid farms, hives, and homes—even opening refrigerators and emptying bins to feast on food—is a serious concern, and animal control issues and solutions are discussed. (In the wild, the badgers intimidate even lions and hyenas.) Filmed in and around Kruger National Park, South Africa, images of other wildlife—elephants, giraffes, gazelles, birds, lions, rhinos—enhance the film. (English subtitles clarify speech that is whispered or heavily accented.) This engaging film will win legions of fans for honey badgers while sparking discussion about human/animal interaction.—Cynthia Ortiz, Hackensack High School, NJ