The Ratel (Mellivora capensis) is a small African-Asian mammal. It is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon 2
Description[]
The ratel, also known as the Honey Badger, is a member of the mustelid family and the largest in Africa. Males can reach a body-length of 77cm (30in) and weigh up to 16kg (35lbs), whilst females are slightly smaller. Although quite long, it has a distinctively broad appearance, with thick loose skin that serves as an adaptation for fighting. Widely spread across Africa, ratels can also be found in South-Western Asia across to India.
The ratel can live in a wide variety of habitats, but typically lives in burrows which may have previously been used by other animals or it may have dug itself. Although it frequently raids beehives for larvae and honey, hence its alternative name, it has an extremely varied diet and will eat anything from insects and eggs to small mammals and snakes, including highly venomous species such as black mambas. It may also take food such as berries and roots. The ratel is well-known for its strength and fearlessness, regularly driving away larger carnivores such as lions and hyenas.
Zoo Tycoon 2[]
The ratel is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon 2 and was added as part of the African Adventure expansion pack. In Campaign and Challenge Mode, it is available for adoption when a zoo reaches a rating of 2 stars.
The ratel is a Grassland animal. They live in pairs and, if two individuals of the same sex are placed in an exhibit, they may fight to the death. Notably, the ratel can produce a musky smell that will scare any animal in their vicinity, including those in adjacent enclosures. It shares this ability with the Ethiopian Wolf. It is therefore advisable that, when building a ratel exhibit, they are kept away from other exhibits.
 zootycoon.com Description
|
|---|
| The ratel is a skunk-like mammal native to Africa and parts of Asia. It is also known as a honey badger because bee honey is one of its favorite foods. In parts of Africa, the ratel finds beehives with the help of a bird that eats bee larvae. The bird calls the ratel to tear open the hive with its strong claws, and then both animals feed on the contents. Ratels are extremely difficult to kill. Their skin is unusually tough and is attached loosely to the body, making it hard for other animals to grasp. Animal bites, bee stings, or porcupine quills usually do not penetrate the ratel’s tough hide. As an added deterrent to predators, the anal glands of ratels emit a foul-smelling liquid. |
Gallery[]
