It is the rainy season in Africa, the warm and humid climate provides enough impetus for the rapid growth of plants, and the abundant resources also provide sufficient nutrients for most animals, of course, the most beneficial are relatively weak organisms.
In the southern part of the Namibian plateau, millions of animals live. Among them, the weakest is the slender-tailed badger with a body length of tens of centimeters.
Dick was one of the Slender-tailed Badgers, and he and his wife ruled a large family of thirty members.
Dick was twenty-five centimeters long, his tail was equally long as his body, his gray-yellow fur was about the same color as the dry land, and he had dark stripes on his back and tail. Weighing less than a kilogram, he has two centimeters long hard claws, a brown mouth with a pointed brown mouth, and large dark circles like wearing a pair of sunglasses. It is the peculiarity of this body structure that gives them super eyesight and the ability to look directly at the sun, and can clearly detect dangers from the direction of the sun.
Dick and family who receive the warmth of the sun (Image from Unsplash)
Early in the morning, Dick gets up early, crouches facing the sun, and opens his heart to warm care. As their body temperature rises, family members comb their hair, wash their faces, and get ready. After combing, Dick led everyone out to forage, and the tribesmen followed closely, not allowing anyone to be left behind. Since the body of the slender-tailed badger is not able to store fat, it must eat every day or it will starve to death.
The family stopped and went all the way to the edge of the swamp. The sparse trees and moist land are particularly suitable for the breeding of small creatures such as earthworms, crickets and scorpions, which are also the staple food of the slender-tailed badger. There is no need for a clear division of labor, whenever everyone is eating or resting, there will always be family members who take the initiative to stand up and whistle, form a stable support frame with hind legs and slender tails, and look around with extraordinary vision. It is these alert sentries that make the safety of the slender-tailed badger family effectively guaranteed, and the prestige of the slender-tailed badger is famous all over the world, becoming the most representative animal in Africa, and the scene of a group of small-tailed badger standing up and looking around has become the spokesperson of the African wilderness.
Alert sentry (image from Pixabay)
"Woohoo! Woohoo! The sentry sounded a piercing siren. An eagle hovered overhead, and the tribesmen quickly ran under the trees. Only there can the most effective restriction of the eagle's movements be. Under Dick's organization, most of the family members evacuated to a safe area, but a clan member who was farther away had an accident and was firmly pressed to the ground by the eagle, struggling desperately. However, this little power paled in the face of the mighty eagle. Busy, Dick found out and rushed to the Eagles regardless of his personal safety. Under its leadership, the tribesmen were not afraid, and pounced on the enemy one by one. Howling, biting, blowing up hair, arching his back, exerting strength on all fours, leaping high and pouncing on the eagle. Strong eagles, under constant attack, also had to give up their prey. The family was rescued, but the Dick did not give up their revenge. Some tribesmen even climbed up trees and jumped up to attack. The eagle was frightened and left in mourning, leaving a field of feathers.
Spokesperson for the African wilderness (Image from Unsplash)
The Slender-tailed Badger is the most family-minded group in the African wilderness, sacrificing everything for their families, including their own lives. It is precisely the spirit of sacrificing the small self to achieve the big self and not being afraid of death that makes their ethnic group more united and able to survive in a harsh environment. Weakness does not mean weakness!
Author: Han Qi Yiling