Taxi ranks are known to be busy areas, especially in the mornings, with people rushing to catch a ride to work. A taxi rank in Roodepoort, Johannesburg had an unusual visitor on Monday morning. To their astonishment when the call came in, the help of the SPCA was requested catch a honey badger. It is still unclear how the animal ended up at the taxi rank.

“Between the snarls and mock attacks, we managed to catch her and she was transported to the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital,” says Roodepoort/Krugersdorp SPCA manager Mandy Cattanach.

Dr Karin Lourens from the veterinary hospital says they were surprised when they were informed that the SPCA has caught a honey badger and were on their way with the animal.

“This awesome animal is not normally found in the middle of suburbia and we can only speculate on how she made it into this neighbourhood.”

When the honey badger arrived, Lourens sedated her to facilitate a safe clinical examination. She was placed on IV fluids and examined from top to bottom. Apart from a few superficial cuts and scrapes, she was found to be in excellent health – weighing 9.5kg, a very good weight for an adult female honey badger.

“Once awake, she had a fantastic appetite, and we were satisfied that she could be released as soon as possible. She has since been released into a safe reserve and we are optimistic that she will live a wild and happy life,” says Lourens.

The Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital treats indigenous animals for free, relying solely on community donations and support. Follow their Facebook page to get involved.