BBC News, South West
Exmoor ZooVisitors to a zoo are being introduced to its baby honey badger for the first time.
Exmoor Zoo’s five-month-old female badger is believed to be only the second of her species to be born in captivity in the UK.
Zookeepers said that, until now, they had kept her birth secret while they left the mother and baby in peace.
Zoo director Danny Reynolds said: “Often parents, if they feel pressured by potential threats, may kill their offspring. So, we’ve very much taken a back seat and minimised our keeper interactions with mum in their enclosure.”
Staff said the best times for members of the public to see the badgers were just after 10:00 and 15:00.
Exmoor ZooThe baby badger was born on 16 January, zookeepers said. They have tried feeding her different types of meat, as honey badgers are scavengers.
She has been introduced to mice, quail, chicken, steak and locusts – and some of her meals were covered in a honey drizzle.
Staff have named the mother Mrs Stoffel but the baby is yet to be given a name.
Exmoor Zoo’s senior carnivore keeper, Tina Rowtcliff, said: “We’d really love to give her a name, but we think letting the public come up with a name would be amazing.”
She said the zoo would be running a naming competition on social media.
