Hyraxes

4 species

Hyraxes are small well-furred, rotund animals with short tails. They are also called dassies. They are superficially similar to pikas and marmots but are more closely related to elephants and sea cows. Five extant species are recognized: four of which inhabit rocky terrain across sub-Saharan Africa, and one is found in the Middle East. Hyraxes live in small family groups, with a single male that aggressively defends the territory from rivals. The remaining males live solitary lives, often on the periphery of areas controlled by larger males. These herbivorous mammals do not construct dens, as most rodents do, but always rather seek shelter in existing holes of great variety in size and configuration. Females give birth to up to 4 young, which are weaned at 1-5 months of age. They become reproductively mature at 16-17 months and generally live from 9 to 14 years.
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Hyraxes are small well-furred, rotund animals with short tails. They are also called dassies. They are superficially similar to pikas and marmots but are more closely related to elephants and sea cows. Five extant species are recognized: four of which inhabit rocky terrain across sub-Saharan Africa, and one is found in the Middle East. Hyraxes live in small family groups, with a single male that aggressively defends the territory from rivals. The remaining males live solitary lives, often on the periphery of areas controlled by larger males. These herbivorous mammals do not construct dens, as most rodents do, but always rather seek shelter in existing holes of great variety in size and configuration. Females give birth to up to 4 young, which are weaned at 1-5 months of age. They become reproductively mature at 16-17 months and generally live from 9 to 14 years.
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