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The honey badger is a widespread, but understudied African carnivore, with high potential as a bone accumulator in cave and fossil deposits. This study serves as the first investigation into the taphonomic modifications of this species when feeding on small to medium-sized prey. Domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cunniculus) carcasses where fed experimentally to a breeding pair of captive honey badgers housed at the Johannesburg Zoo. Bones from the feeding refuse and the carnivore scats were analysed for anatomical composition, fragmentation patterns, tooth marks and digestion. The results were compared with feeding studies with various small carnivores on leporid prey. Honey badgers preferentially opened their prey at the belly and focussed their feeding on nutritionally high-yield soft parts, often discarding low-yield parts like distal appendages, crania and the skins. Bones from the refuse assemblage were often complete and unmodified but stripped of flesh. Bones from the scat assemblage displayed very high fragmentation, light digestive modification and high numbers of tooth marked bones. This latter character was particularly diagnostic for the honey badger. This study investigates a carnivore that has received little interest and shows the high potential of this carnivore to act as a bone accumulator. Further taphonomic research into this species will greatly enhance our understanding of this species and its activity in the fossil record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medium-size animals such as rabbits and hares are common occurrences in fossil assemblages, and make up a large part of the diet of many carnivores. However their mode of accumulation, especially in African localities is poorly understood. This investigation undertook experimental feeding of domestic rabbit carcasses to captive caracal ( Caracal caracal ), in order to create a taphonomic model of bone modifications that can be applied to fossil assemblages. We investigated the modification patterns of both the feeding refuse (non-ingested) and the scatological remains. The anatomical composition, breakage patterns, digestive modifications and tooth marks are described. The caracals preferentially fed on high yield parts of the rabbit carcass and discarded low yield parts like the cranium and feet, a pattern that has been observed in wild and captive coyotes when food resources are abundant. Rabbit remains from the caracal displayed poor survival, relative to other small carnivores. Fragmentation in the scat assemblage was high. Bones were extensively but lightly digested and carnivore tooth marks were frequent. This investigation provides a model of bone modification in a carnivore that while common in fossil localities has received little taphonomic attention. The study also exhibits how detailed actualistic investigations can provide information that may aid palaeoecological interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]