Hyderabad: Turning 20 is a significant milestone. You officially step into adulthood. Most young people celebrate it with friends and parties. But J Rehan Prakash decided to do things differently. He marked his 20th birthday by adopting a honey badger from the Hyderabad Zoo on Sunday.
Rehan, a second-year MBBS student of Gandhi Medical College, approached the Nehru Zoological Park and submitted a cheque of Rs 50,000 to adopt the mammal for a period of six months, Telangana Zoo Parks Director Dr Sunil S Hiremath said.
This is the first time a honey badger has been adopted, the officer said.
The young man was accompanied by his parents and friends. Rehan’s inspiration came from his father, J Muralidharan, who works as a forest officer.
Honey badgers are powerful nocturnal mammals found in India, Africa and South West Asia. Known for their thick skin, strong jaws and fearless temperament, they are capable of surviving encounters with predators such as lions and venomous snakes.
This post was last modified on March 29, 2026 7:48 pm