Taphonomy of a novel small carnivore: experimental analysis of honey badger ( Mellivora capensis ) modifications on lepo
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Taphonomy of a novel small carnivore: experimental analysis of honey badger (Mellivora capensis) modifications on leporid prey Brigette F. Cohen 1,2
&
Job M. Kibii 3
Received: 9 February 2018 / Accepted: 26 June 2018 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract The honey badger is a widespread, but understudied African carnivore, with high potential as a bone accumulator in cave and fossil deposits. This study serves as the first investigation into the taphonomic modifications of this species when feeding on small to medium-sized prey. Domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cunniculus) carcasses where fed experimentally to a breeding pair of captive honey badgers housed at the Johannesburg Zoo. Bones from the feeding refuse and the carnivore scats were analysed for anatomical composition, fragmentation patterns, tooth marks and digestion. The results were compared with feeding studies with various small carnivores on leporid prey. Honey badgers preferentially opened their prey at the belly and focussed their feeding on nutritionally high-yield soft parts, often discarding low-yield parts like distal appendages, crania and the skins. Bones from the refuse assemblage were often complete and unmodified but stripped of flesh. Bones from the scat assemblage displayed very high fragmentation, light digestive modification and high numbers of tooth marked bones. This latter character was particularly diagnostic for the honey badger. This study investigates a carnivore that has received little interest and shows the high potential of this carnivore to act as a bone accumulator. Further taphonomic research into this species will greatly enhance our understanding of this species and its activity in the fossil record. Keywords Carnivore . Actualistic study . Ratel . Leporid . Archaeology . Bone accumulator
Introduction The honey badger (Mellivora capensis), is a small, low slung and stocky carnivore of the Mustelidae family. It is one of the most widely spread carnivore species in Africa occurring throughout the sub-Saharan region (Skinner and Chimimba 2005). Normally shy and retiring, if threatened or excited, their fearlessness, aggression and resilience are legendary. Many claim the honey badger will target the scrotum of
* Brigette F. Cohen [email protected] Job M. Kibii [email protected] 1
Cenozoic Palaeontology, Iziko South African Museum, Gardens, PO Box 61, Cape Town 8000, South Africa
2
Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
3
Earth Sciences, National Museums of Kenya, P.O. BOX 40658, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
aggressors, allowing it to bring down animals as large as a buffalo; although this story appears to be more a fallacy than fact (Kingdon 1977). Despite its reputation and extensive range, the honey badger remains an understudied animal, and its potential as a taphonomic accumulator or modifier of bones has not been previously investigated. Honey badgers specialise in the excavation of vertebr
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