Now in his golden years, Stoffel is not too concerned with the great escape anymore. Instead, he loves napping.
Hoedspruit, Limpopo (18 September 2025) – Stoffel’s story, as many may know, started many years ago when he was brought to Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre after being hand-raised by a farmer. By then, he was far too used to people to ever go back into the wild, but that didn’t mean life at the centre was going to be quiet…not by any measure.
It turned out Stoffel was a genius at breaking out of just about anything.
Locks, gates, brick houses, you name it, he outsmarted them all. If there was a way out, Stoffel was going to find it.
Along the way, he met Hammie, another honey badger, and the two became partners in crime, literally. Together they pulled off escape after escape, keeping Moholoholo’s staff on their toes and showing the world just how smart and stubborn honey badgers really are.
The BBC even made a short documentary about them! They became world famous when it was first uploaded to YouTube 11 years ago. It now has 35 million views. If you haven’t seen it, watch it:
These days, Stoffel isn’t as busy plotting his next great getaway.
At 27 years old, he’s considered a geriatric badger now. Instead of scaling fences and stacking rocks into escape staircases, he’s more partial to napping in the sunshine, with Hammie still right by his side.
“We are always asked how Stoffel is doing… and 27 years later, we can still say he’s doing great! Of course, he’s slowed down with his antics, spending his days snoozing instead of escaping. He is, after all, a geriatric badger now,” shares Moholoholo.
The team at say he’s doing really well for his age and gets all the care he needs to keep him comfortable.
“He is closely monitored by our experienced clinic staff to ensure his later stages of life are comfortable and happy.”
It’s a joy to know that after years of outwitting absolutely everybody, Stoffel gets to spend his old age just being a happy old honey badger with his lifelong partner, who’s also enjoying her golden years.
“Hammie, his lifelong mate, is also doing wonderfully. The bond they have is so special to witness and after almost two decades together, they have never been stronger,” shares Moholoholo.
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