Medico adopts Honey Badger at Hyderabad Zoo

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

In a notable gesture towards wildlife conservation, J. Rehan Prakash, a second-year MBBS student of Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad, marked his 20th birthday by adopting a honey badger at Nehru Zoological Park.

Accompanied by his parents, J. Muralidhar and J. Jyothi, and friends, Rehan Prakash presented a cheque of ₹50,000 to Dr Sunil S. Hiremath, IFS, Director of Zoo Parks, Telangana, towards the animal’s feeding and maintenance for a period of six months.

Speaking on the occasion, Rehan Prakash said his inspiration stemmed from his father, a forest officer, and his exposure to wildlife conservation. He noted that caring for wild animals in zoos and conservation centres is a challenging task and thanked the zoo authorities for providing him an opportunity to contribute.

Dr Hiremath appreciated the gesture, stating that this was the first time a honey badger had been adopted at the zoo. He lauded the student’s initiative and encouraged more people to support wildlife welfare.

Also known as the ratel, the honey badger is a nocturnal carnivorous mammal found in India, Africa, and parts of Southwest Asia. At the Hyderabad zoo, it is housed in the nocturnal animal enclosure for public viewing.