Rock Hyrax

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The rock hyrax is a small marmot-like mammal with a head-body length of 45-60 cm and a body-weight of 2.5-4.6 kgs. The upper incisors are triangular in cross section and evergrowing, like the rodents.

The coat is brownish grey on the back and cream underneath, dense with thick underfur, but on the back there is a hairless area with a dorsal gland which produces the characteristic odor of the species. The gland is surrounded by longer, erectile hairs which are yellow, orange, brown, or black.

Rock "dassies" are predominantly diurnal, gregarious animals, living in small to large colonies, which are usually betrayed by urine stains on the rocks, and piles of droppings in select places. The crystallised urine, 'Hyracidium' is sold as folk medicine in southern Africa.

The dassies are grazing and browsing herbivores eating a wide range of plants. Feeding usually takes place on the ground but they will climb on trees to feed on leaves, bark, flowers, pods and fruit.

The females give birth to 1-4, usually 2-3 precocious young: fully haired, with eyes open, and able to move about soon after birth. Birth weight varies according to the size of the litter between 150 and 300 g. The life span in the wild is about 4-5 years.

Did you know?
that hyraxes are believed to be the elephants' nearest living relatives? This assumption is based on anatomic similarities in teeth, leg and foot bones, testes (that do not descend into a scrotum) and other more obscure details.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	HYRACOIDEA
Family	PROCAVIIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Procavia capensis
Name (English)	Rock Hyrax
Name (French)	Daman des rochers
Name (German)	Kap-Klippschliefer
Name (Spanish)	Damán de El Cabo
Local names	Afrikaans: Klipdas, Dassie ciShona, xiTsonga, ciVenda: Mbila kiSwahili: Pimbi isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu: Imbila sePedi: Pela, thobela, thewbela seSotho, seTswana: Pela seTswana: Pela
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Hans Hillewaert

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Africa: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Congo DR, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe Asia: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey (Asia minor), Yemen,
Habitat	They live in crevices and cavities in rock outcroppings in scrubland or open grassland
Wild population	Unknown, but it is a common species in Africa (Red List IUCN 2011)
Zoo population	305 reported to ISIS

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 75 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Arikk

Why do zoos keep this animal

The rock hyrax is not a threatened species. Zoos keep the "dassies" predominantly for educational reasons because, although they may appear rodent-like, their evolutionary relationships in fact lie with elephants and manatees.

As active, social, nice little creatures the "dassies" appeal to the public and are a good ambassador species for two biodiversity hotspots, the Cape Floral Kingdom and the Succulent Karoo, as well as for other southern African ecosystems.

How this animal should be kept

Hyraxes are social animals and should be kept in groups.

In cold and temperate climates they need both an outdoor and an indoor enclosure. Minimum size for up to 5 adults should not be less than 20 m² outdoors and 10 m² indoors. For each additional adult the surfaces have to be increased by 10 %. Indoors, a minimum temperature of 12 °C must be maintained and there should be warmer spots (radiators).

The enclosures have to be suitably furnished with artificial or natural rocks and thick branches providing climbing opportunities, and there should be cavities or wooden boxes for sleeping and hiding. The soil should be well drained and be covered with suitable substrate, such as marl or sand. In larger enclosures a grass cover would contribute to the wellbeing of the animals.

Hyraxes are excellent jumpers and climbers and are champions in escaping.

The diet is mainly vegetarian and may include grass, branches in leave, fruit and vegetables, but also animal protein should be offered in smaller quantities.