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Plucky honey badger takes on pride of lions each 15 times his size - and holds them off for 30 minutes

This is the moment one of the bravest animals in Africa showed why it has so much respect - as it battled a whole pride of lions.

The plucky honey badger was caught out in the open in the Kwando Concession Park, Botswana, and unluckily became the target for a group of lions.

Stranded and weighing just 20lbs the badger decided to fight back against at least four young lions each 15 times its size.

The honey badger's tough hide and surprising strength and ferocity made it a tricky customer for the lions who struggled to deliver the killer bite.

Incredibly the pint-sized battler managed to resist the massive predators' attack for more than 30 minutes.

Wildlife photographer James Haskins watched as the badger kept the lions at bay and eventually had to leave the scene still seeing the badger fighting back.

He said: 'A scene like this is extremely rare to witness, the lions - all young lions by the way - tried their best to kill the young honey badger.

'It was probably their first time to try out their hunting skills on this animal and try as they might, they could not deliver a killer blow.

'The honey badgers skin is so though that the ions could not suffocate it or pull it apart - something lions certainly don't struggle with other less tenacious victims.

'Half an hour passed with the lions biting, chewing, clawing at the badger - but still the young honey badger just kept growling and fighting.

'We left the scene with the lions still passing around the badger between them - none of them knowing what to do to kill the animal.'

Honey badgers are found all over Africa and India and are known for their intelligence and ferocious attitude even when confronted by animals much bigger than them - with documented fights with lions, hyenas and even rhinos.

It is a mustelid and bears some similar characteristics to both a badger and the much smaller weasel.

In popular culture throughout Africa, the animal - also known as a Ratel - is known for its fighting nature and the South African military have a vehicle named after it

One famous South African honey badger named Stoffel was made famous in the BBC2 documentary Honey Badgers: Masters of Mayhem aired on Good Friday this year.

Stoffel repeatedly outfoxed his keepers escaping from his enclosure and even breaking into his owner's house to raid the fridge.

Source : dailymail

Thai pet store owner arrested after animals including 14 albino lions are found in warehouse

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Rare albino spotted among herd in Thailand national park

A rare albino elephant has been spotted in Thailand.

The baby was pictured drinking from a stream at the Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi province with a herd of common Asian elephants.

Experts believe the animal is an albino as its trunk is pink from the sun and has very fair skin.

Albino elephants normally have a pink hue and are rarely completely white, as they have little fur.

Their eyelashes and toenails are also fairer than normal elephants. The find holds particular significance in Thailand where white elephants are revered as sacred.

According to ancient tradition, white elephants are gifted to the King and Thailand's current monarch Bhumibol Adulyadej owns ten.

Although the find has caused excitement among park officials, there are concerns that it will become a target for poachers.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is now expected to decide whether to capture the elephant or leave it in the park.

Chote Trachoo, ministry permanent secretary, was quoted by Thai news website The Nation as saying it will be 'an important decision' they will have to make.

The exact number of white elephants in the world is not known but there are thought to be thousands in Asia,

Albino African elephants are far less common than their Asian cousins.

When one was spotted in Botswana in 2007, experts said it was only the third they had heard of in southern Africa.

Albino elephants are seen as a huge prize for poachers because of their rarity and how regarded they are in many Asian countries including Laos and Myanmar.

White elephants are revered because of their key part in the tales of the birth of Buddha.

Buddha's mother dreamed that a white elephant gave her a sacred lotus flower before she gave birth.

They are seen to bring good or bad omens to rulers and a monarch in possession of a white elephant is seen to be a just and fair ruler.

However, the death of an albino elephant can be seen as a sign of disaster.

They have traditionally been given as gifts to a monarch's friends and allies, who must be wealthy because of the level of care that is expected to be given to the sacred animals.

Source : dailymail

Wonderful images give a unique insight into island's inhabitants

Although he belongs to one of the most endangered primate species in the world, this sifaka lemur scampers across a track looking totally carefree.

The black and white lemur shows its dexterity on two legs as it is pictured running along the ground.

The trick shot, which makes it appear as if there are five lemurs, was taken by Dale Morris using time-lapse photography.

The British photographer travelled to Madagascar to get close to the charismatic primates.

There are more than 100 species of lemur living on the African island and all sifkaka are endangered and are classed as between vulnerable and critically endangered.

Mr Morris, 40, was able to capture a vast array of species on camera and his intimate collection includes multiple shots of a bright-white lemur scampering across a path and newborn babies clutching onto their mother's tail.

However, the expedition was not without drama.

Mr Morris said lemurs, such as the ring-tailed, that are thriving on the island are so used to humans that they can cause trouble.

A troop even raided his hotel room when he left the window open.

He said: 'Many of the daytime lemur species live in nature reserves and are quite accustomed to tourists taking their photos.

'They seem to get on with their daily business regardless of who is watching or taking photos of them.

'Some of them are so used to people that they will raid your hotel room looking for food if you leave the window open and will even beg at open-air restaurants.

'A Lemur did a poo down my shirt during one photo shoot. I also woke up in my hotel room in Berenty reserve to find a troop of ring tailed lemurs bouncing around on the bed with me.

'They scattered when I woke and shooed them away, but not before stealing my bananas and also my last packet of cigarettes - which I later found shredded and dumped in the forest.'

Mr Morris, a freelance nature photographer from north London, also travelled to the spiky forests to the south of the island to see species of lemur.

It can be risky business as the trees are heavily spiked and branches easily break and fall when disturbed by the animals.

Mr Morris added: 'I was surprised by how many beautiful lemur species there are - over 100 - and how many of them are close to extinction.

''I learned that once upon a time there were lemur species as large as a man. Now that would have been something to see.'

Astounded: Dale Morris said he was amazed by the vast range of lemur species in Madagascar. There are more than 100 species on the island

Source : dailymail

One giant leap for a leopard as photograph captures moment big cat swoops on its prey

This incredible image captures a deadly leopard leaping from a tree to pounce upon an unsuspecting antelope 30ft below.

The patient predator lay in wait for four hours in its hiding place in the branches, before seizing the opportunity to strike.

As the female kudu antelope sought out shade from the blistering midday sun amid the trees in Botswana's Okavango delta, the leopard sailed through the air and sank its claws into the creature's back.

Incredibly, the antelope managed to buck the leopard off with a kick of its hind legs and escape into the undergrowth.

Lying in wait: The leopard was captured at full stretch as it leaped from its hiding place in the trees to pounce on an unsuspecting antelope below

The scenes were captured by amateur photographer Eric Gurwin, 59, from New Jersey, who was on safari with his son Jeffrey.

'We watched as a leopard climbed a tree that fortunately was right in front of us and rested on a branch at least 10 metres off the ground,' he said.

He's behind you: The crafty predator jumped 30ft from its perch and latched onto the kudu's back

'Our guide suggested that the leopard might use the tree to drop down on an unsuspecting animal once the heat of the day caused the animals to come into the shade.

'So we waited in the hope that something might happen - but we hardly expected what we witnessed,' said Mr Gurwin, an eye surgeon.

Wildlife: Amateur photographer Eric Gurwin, 59, waited for over four hours to capture these shots after spotting the leopard in the trees in Botswana's Okavango delta

After four hours, the leopard's patience paid off when a herd of kudu and impala antelopes moved under the tree.

Spotting its opportunity the leopard pounced, leaping 30ft from its hiding place and latching onto the kudu.

Escape: The startled antelope managed to buck the leopard off before fleeing into the bush in Botswana

'It landed with a thud on the kudu's back and attempted to grab on with its front claws,' Mr Gurwin said.

'Unfortunately for the leopard, the kudu was too big and strong and with one mighty buck she flipped the leopard into the air and off of her.

'We knew that this was an injured male leopard that was trying to heal a leg wound, and that was probably the impetus for this unorthodox manoeuvre.

'While leopards are know to drop down on prey the leap that this leopard took was incredible and as far as I can tell not previously recorded,' he said.