Among the land animals of the Earth, one creature stands out in every way - size, impressive body, huge ears and a strange nose, very similar to the sleeve of a fire hydrant. If among the zoo's living creatures there is at least one creature of the elephant family (and we are talking about them, as you already guessed), then this enclosure is especially popular with visitors, young and old. I decided to understand the genealogy of elephants, calculate their most distant ancestor, and, in general, understand “who is who” among the long-eared and trunk-equipped. And this is what happened to me...
It turns out that elephants, mastodons and mammoths, as well as pinnipeds dugongs and manatees, had a common ancestor - moeritherium (lat. Moeritherium). Externally, the moriteriums that inhabited the Earth approximately 55 million years ago were not even close to their modern descendants - short, no higher than 60 cm at the withers, they lived in shallow water bodies of Asia of the late Eocene and were something between a pygmy hippopotamus and a pig, with a narrow and elongated muzzle.
Now about the direct ancestor of elephants, mastodons and mammoths. Their common ancestor was the paleomastodon (lat. Palaeomastodontidae), which inhabited Africa about 36 million years ago, in the Eocene. The paleomastodon had a double set of tusks in its mouth, but they were short - it probably ate tubers and roots.
No less interesting, in my opinion, a relative of modern long-eared and proboscideans was a funny animal, nicknamed by scientists Platibelodon danovi. This creature inhabited Asia in the Miocene, about 20 million years ago, and had one set of tusks and strange spade-shaped incisors on its lower jaw. Platybelodon actually did not have a trunk, but its upper lip was wide and “corrugated” - somewhat similar to the trunk of modern elephants.
It's time to deal with more or less widely known representatives of the proboscis family - mastodons, mammoths and elephants. First of all, they are distant relatives, i.e. The two modern species of elephants - African and Indian - did not descend from mammoths or mastodons. The body of mastodons (lat. Mammutidae) was covered with thick and short hair, they ate mostly grass and foliage of shrubs, and spread to Africa during the Oligocene period - about 35 million years ago.
Contrary to feature films, where the mastodon is usually depicted as an aggressive giant elephant with huge tusks, they were not larger than the modern African elephant: their height at the withers was no more than 3 meters; There were two sets of tusks - a pair of long ones on the upper jaw and short ones, practically not protruding from the mouth, on the lower jaw. Subsequently, mastodons completely got rid of a pair of lower tusks, leaving only the upper ones. Mastodons became completely extinct not so long ago, if you look from an anthropological point of view - only 10,000 years ago, i.e. our distant ancestors were well acquainted with this species of proboscis.
Mammoths (lat. Mammuthus) - those same shaggy, proboscis and with giant tusks, the remains of which are often found in Yakutia - inhabited the Earth on several continents at once, and their large family lived happily for as long as 5 million years, disappearing about 12-10,000 years ago . They were much larger than modern elephants - 5 meters tall at the withers, huge, 5-meter tusks, slightly twisted in a spiral. Mammoths lived everywhere - in South and North America, in Europe and Asia, they easily endured ice ages and protected themselves from predators, but could not cope with the bipedal ancestors of humans, who diligently reduced their population throughout the globe. Although scientists still consider the main reason for their complete and widespread extinction to be the last ice age, caused by the fall of a huge meteorite in South America.
Today, two species of elephants exist and are relatively healthy - African and Indian. African elephants (lat. Loxodonta africana) with a maximum weight of 7.5 tons and a height at the withers of 4 meters, live south of the African Sahara Desert. Just one representative of this family is in the first image of this article.
Indian elephants (lat. Elephas maximus) with a weight of 5 tons and a height of 3 meters at the withers, are common in India, Pakistan, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Laos and Sumatra. Indian elephants have much shorter tusks than their African relatives, with females having no tusks at all.
Elephant skull (varnished, sort of)
By the way, it was the skulls of mammoths, regularly discovered by ancient Greek researchers, that formed the basis of the legends about giant Cyclops - most often there were no tusks on these skulls (nimble Africans stole them for construction purposes), and the skull itself was very similar to the remains of a colossal Cyclops. Note the hole in the frontal part of the skull, to which the trunk is connected in living elephants.
Modern species of elephants are only the remnants of the great family of proboscis, which in the distant past inhabited planet Earth...
general description
Their physique is dense, awkward, with a large head on a short thick neck and short but strong legs. The muzzle is short, with a split upper lip. The ears are round, small, sometimes almost hidden in the fur. Limbs are plantigrade. The forelimbs are 5-toed with flattened claws resembling hooves. The hind limbs are three-toed; the inner finger bears a long curved nail, which is used for combing hair, and the other fingers have hoof-shaped claws. The soles of the paws are bare, covered with a thick rubbery epidermis; Numerous ducts of sweat glands open on their surface, which constantly moisturize the skin. The central part of the arch of each foot can be lifted by special muscles, creating something like a suction cup. Wet skin enhances suction. Thanks to this device, hyraxes can climb steep cliffs and tree trunks with great dexterity and speed, and even descend from them upside down.
The fur of hyraxes is thick, formed by soft down and rough awns. The color is usually brownish-gray. Tufts of long vibrissae grow on the body (especially on the muzzle above the eyes and on the neck). In the middle of the back there is an area of elongated, lighter or darker hair, in the center of which there is a bare area. On its surface, the ducts of a special glandular field open - the dorsal gland of 7-8 lobes, formed by hypertrophied sebaceous and sweat glands. The gland secretes a secretion that smells strongly during the breeding season. In young hyraxes the gland is undeveloped or poorly developed; in females it is smaller than in males. When frightened or excited, the hair covering the gland rises upright. The exact purpose of the gland is unknown.
Adult hyraxes have 34 permanent teeth, deciduous ones - 28. The incisors of the upper jaw are constantly growing, quite widely spaced and resemble the incisors of rodents. There are no fangs. Premolar and molar teeth are similar to the teeth of ungulates. Skull with a rather massive lower jaw. Nipples: 1 pair of breast and 2 pairs of inguinal or 1 pair of axillary and 1-2 inguinal.
Lifestyle
Distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas, Syria and Israel. Representatives of the genera Procavia And Heterohyrax- diurnal animals, live in colonies of 5-60 individuals in arid savannas and rocky areas, rising into the mountains to an altitude of 4500 m above sea level. Representatives of the genus Dendrohyrax- nocturnal forest animals, live alone and in families. All hyraxes are very agile, able to quickly run, jump and climb steep rocks and trees. Well developed vision and hearing. Hyraxes are characterized by poorly developed thermoregulation - at night they gather together to keep warm, and during the day, like reptiles, they bask in the sun for a long time. At the same time, they raise the soles of their paws, on which the sweat glands are located. The sticky sweat produced helps hyraxes climb. Hyraxes are very cautious and, like European ground squirrels, when they see danger, they emit a sharp, high-pitched cry, forcing the entire colony to hide in shelters.
Herbivores. They feed mainly on plant foods, occasionally eating insects and their larvae. In search of food they can go up to 1-3 km. They don't need water. Unlike many other herbivores, hyraxes do not have developed incisors and use their molars to help themselves when feeding. Unlike artiodactyls or kangaroos, they do not chew cud; food is digested in their complex, multi-chambered stomachs.
There is apparently no seasonality in reproduction. Pregnancy lasts 7-7.5 months. The female brings 1-3, sometimes up to 6 cubs, once a year. Cubs are born well developed, with open eyes; able to run fast. After 2 weeks they begin to eat plant food.
Origin of hyraxes
The oldest fossil remains of hyraxes date back to the late Eocene (40 million years ago). For many millions of years, the ancestors of hyraxes were the main terrestrial herbivores in Africa, until in the Miocene, competition with bovids forced them out of their former ecological niche. Nevertheless, hyraxes remained a numerous and widespread order for a long time, inhabiting most of Africa, Asia and Southern Europe in the Pliocene.
Phylogenetically, modern hyraxes are closest to proboscis, with which they have many similarities in the structure of the teeth, skeleton and placenta.
There is an opinion that the “hares” mentioned in the Bible, designated by the word “shafan” ( shaphan), were actually hyraxes. From a distance they really resemble large rabbits. From Hebrew this word passed into the language of the Phoenicians, who apparently mistook the rabbits of the Iberian Peninsula for hyraxes, giving the country its name I-Shapan-im, Damanov Coast. Later this name was derived from the Latin Hispania and modern "Spain". The very name “hyrax” is of Arabic origin and literally means “ram”
Classification
Until recently, the order of hyraxes included up to 10-11 species belonging to 4 genera. After the year the number of species was reduced to only 4:
- Damana squad(lat. Hyracoidea
)
- Damana family(lat. Procaviidae)
- Genus: Tree hyraxes
(lat. Dendrohyrax)
- Southern tree hyrax (lat. Dendrohyrax arboreus )
- Western tree hyrax (lat. Dendrohyrax dorsalis )
- Genus: Mountain (gray) hyrax
(lat. Heterocxyrax)
- Yellow-spotted or mountain hyrax (Bruce's hyrax) (lat.Heterohyrax brucei)
- Genus: Procavia
- Cape hyrax (lat.Procavia capensis)
- Genus: Tree hyraxes
(lat. Dendrohyrax)
- Damana family(lat. Procaviidae)
Notes
Links
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See what “Hyraxes” are in other dictionaries:
Zhiryaki (Hyracoidea), an order of placental mammals of the superorder of ungulates. Known from below. Oligocene of Africa and lower. European plyopene. Dl. body 30-60 cm, weight from 1.5 to 4.5 kg. Ext. in appearance they resemble rodents, but phylogenetically, they are probably closer to... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary
Modern encyclopedia
- (zhiryaki) a detachment of ungulate mammals. Outwardly they resemble rodents. Body length 30-60 cm, tail 1-3 cm. 11 species, in Western Asia and Africa (excluding the northern part). Some hyraxes live in forests in trees, others in mountainous, rocky areas... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Hyraxes- Hyraxes, a detachment of mammals. They belong to the ungulates, but outwardly resemble rodents. Body length 30-60 cm, tail 1-3 cm, weight up to 3 kg. 7 species, in Western Asia and Africa (excluding the northern part). Some hyraxes live in forests (in trees), others in... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
Order of ungulate mammals. Outwardly they resemble rodents. Body length 30-60 cm, tail 1-3 cm. Seven species, in Western Asia and Africa (excluding the northern part). Some hyraxes live in forests in trees, others in mountainous, rocky areas. * * * HYRACES… encyclopedic Dictionary
hyraxes- Cape hyraxes. hyraxes (Hyracoidea), order of mammals. Body length up to 60 (indistinguishable from the outside for most), weight up to 4.5 kg. The flattened nails on the limbs resemble hooves (one toe on the hind feet has a long claw). 3 kinds with... ... Encyclopedic reference book "Africa"
hyraxes- damanai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas būrys apibrėžtis Būryje 1 šeima. atitikmenys: lot. Hyracoidea engl. hyraxes vok. Schliefer; Schlieftiere rus. hyraxes pranc. damans; hyraciens; hyracoïd’es ryšiai: siauresnis terminas – … Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas
The appearance of the hyrax is deceptive; this fluffy animal resembles an overgrown guinea pig or a rabbit that has lost its tail with small round ears. However, hyraxes have nothing to do with the large group of rodents. Being herbivores, hyraxes are closest to primitive ungulates, and among ungulates their closest relatives are elephants. It is believed that their sharp incisors are modified remains of tusks.
Flickr/Joachim S. Müller
To comb its thick brown-gray fur, the hyrax uses a long, curved claw located on the inside of its hind legs. The soles of hyraxes are covered with thick, rough skin, similar to rubber. Sticky sweat is secreted from special glands on the feet, thanks to which the feet work like suction cups, allowing the animal to easily and freely move along steep rocks, including upside down.
Flickr/Rainbirder
Hyraxes are extremely careful. They gather in groups of about 50 individuals living in natural rock crevices. Each group has observers who closely monitor the environment. Seeing a person or animal, these “sentinels” emit a piercing cry, and the entire colony scatters into its burrows at lightning speed.
Hyraxes have good vocal abilities; their repertoire includes chirping, growling, whistling, and loud screams. Sometimes at night the groups arrange a roll call with their neighbors - it all starts with a barely audible squeak or whistle, which gradually turns into a pig squeal, then turning into sounds similar to the cry of a child.
Flickr/koller93
Hyraxes make the most noise when climbing or descending from a tree. On a cold desert night, hyraxes gather together, huddling together to keep warm, and in the hottest part of the day they sit comfortably in the shade of trees, raising their paws to the top.
Flickr/Arno & Louise Wildlife
Animals communicate with each other using a rich set of sounds, from dull clucking to whistling, with which the sentinel warns comrades looking for food about danger. With the help of songs, animals mark the boundaries of their territory, confirm their social status and declare mating intentions.
And in these songs, zoologists from the University of Haifa (Israel) discovered a strange thing, even more surprising than the relationship between hyraxes and elephants.
Each song consists of a repeating roulade of 20–30 syllables. A performance can last 10 minutes, and the sequence of sounds and pauses in the “number” is strictly thought out. Studying the vocal abilities of hyraxes, the songs of hyraxes from different colonies do not coincide, and the further the animals live from each other, the stronger their vocal and linguistic differences; they analyzed recordings of more than 200 songs. Each repeating figure was broken down into letters, with each letter representing one of five types of sounds. The resulting scores were then compared, and the mathematical algorithm used was the same one used to evaluate the similarity of two DNA strands. It turned out that the vocal phrases of hyraxes from different colonies differ in syntax, and the further the colonies are from each other, the stronger these differences are.
As scientists write in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the human ear will not hear any difference, but if you correlate the differences with the structure of the songs, then the hyraxes should be able to record them well. It really looks like a territorial dialect, and if we draw parallels with human languages, then not every Russian will be able to distinguish the dialects of Germans, English or Chinese by ear. The surprising thing is that no one expected such a level of complexity of language in such ancient and not very developed mammals. Until now, dialectal features in communication have been noted only in primates, cetaceans and bats. Now researchers want to find out how flexible hyrax songs are in general and whether they can convey any other extraneous information.
Hyraxes are diurnal animals; they spend their time climbing rocks and gorges or jumping from branch to branch in search of fresh juicy leaves, fruits of trees and shrubs. A hyrax will not refuse a randomly encountered insect. From its ungulate relatives, the hyrax has retained the habit of chewing, although in fact chewing is considered to be the movement of its lips while it is carefully sniffing something.
Flickr/AnyMotion
To attract the fair sex, male hyraxes have a special device - a dorsal gland, which secretes a strong-smelling liquid during the breeding season. Young males and females also have such a gland, but it is smaller.
These wary animals, living south of the Sahara, as well as in Syria and Israel, have many enemies - leopards, pythons, steppe lynxes (caracals), servals and civets hunt hyraxes. The personal enemy of the hyrax can be called the black African eagle, which prefers to feed exclusively on hyraxes.
Hyraxes are small animals that look a little like wild rabbits. But only a little. In terms of evolutionary development, their closest relative is... the elephant. Yes, yes, exactly an elephant, and also a rhinoceros, and also a horse, a zebra and a donkey. And this is because hyraxes, although the smallest on Earth, are still ungulates.
In other matters, the hyrax has been confused with a rabbit more than once. For example, Spain owes its name to hyraxes. The Phoenicians, when they first sailed to the Iberian Peninsula, saw many rabbits there that they had never seen before. And they took them for hyraxes, which are abundant in their homeland. “Shapan” in Phoenician means hyrax, “i-shapan” means island of hyraxes. Then the pronunciation changed the words to gi-spain and finally Spain.
Hyraxes are children of the mountains. Their element is bare sheer rocks. They deftly climb them, forming entire colonies and frolicking to their heart's content. But as soon as someone notices an enemy - a mongoose, a wild cat or a python - they immediately squeal loudly and rush into the crevices with a stomp, thus warning everyone around about the danger. Lizards, baboons and many other peaceful animals find good neighbors in hyraxes. Their keen eyes (they can see a person at a distance of more than a kilometer) and excellent hearing ensure the safety of everyone around them.
In deep crevices, hyraxes make nests made of wool, where females hatch 3-6 babies, quite large and quite developed. Literally, as soon as the baby dries out after birth, he is ready to climb rocks with adults. An interesting fact is that if a female dies, the cubs are adopted by other females.
In addition to the rock hyraxes that I just talked about, there are also several forest species. These animals preferred the forests of Central Africa to the rocks. They practically never leave the trees, finding shelter and food there. Although, in truth, it should be noted that all hyraxes are good at climbing trees - both forest and rock. All species have three toes on the hind legs and four on the front legs. All fingers have small hooves except the middle one, and then only on the hind legs. There, hyraxes have claws instead of hooves, which allow them to hold on to the tree more firmly.
The difference between forest hyraxes and mountain hyraxes is also that the former are monogamous (they live in families - female, male and children), and the latter are polygamous, like the “grandfather” elephant, the male hyrax has a harem of several females.
This order unites one modern family Procavidae, which includes 3 genera and about 10 species.
Externally, hyraxes look a little like a rabbit, a tailless marmot, or a very large haymaker. Their body length is from 30 to 60 cm, there is no tail, or it is only 1-3 cm long, the weight of the animal is from 1.5 to 4.5 kg. The muzzle is short, with a forked upper lip; the ears are small, in some species almost hidden in the fur; legs are short but strong. The front feet are four-toed with flattened claws resembling hooves; The hind feet are three-toed, the inner toe bears a long curved nail, and the others have hoof-like claws like the front feet. The bare soles have pads, and the central part of the arch of the sole can be raised by special muscles when it is supported on the substrate, which creates a vacuum, and the paw is sucked to the surface of a stone or tree trunk. Glands on the soles, secreting a rubber-like secretion, promote strong suction of the sole to the substrate. Thanks to this device, hyraxes can run up and down vertical rocks and tree trunks with great agility and speed. There are 28 milk teeth, 34-38 permanent teeth. The only pair of upper incisors with constant growth is devoid of enamel on the inner surface and resembles rodent incisors. A wide diastema separates the incisors from one pair of canines (the latter may be absent). Premolar (4/4) and especially molar (3/3) teeth are similar to the teeth of ungulates. The stomach is divided into 2 sections. On the back of hyraxes there is a large secreting glandular field of 7-8 lobes - the dorsal gland, the meaning of which is unclear. In young people it is poorly developed, and in females it is less than in males. When frightened or excited, the hair covering the gland (they are a different color than the hair on the entire back) becomes ruffled, exposing the gland, from which an odorous substance is released.
The fur of hyraxes is thick, has a soft undercoat and hard awns. On the body (especially on the muzzle above the eyes and on the neck) there are tufts of long whiskers. The color of the fur is often brownish-gray with different shades, but there is always a patch of light or black hair on the dorsal gland.
Hyraxes inhabit Africa and South-West Asia (Arabian Peninsula). Terrestrial species of hyraxes live on rocks, rising along mountain slopes to an altitude of 4500 m above sea level, or among stones and bushes on dry plains. Tree hyraxes inhabit forests. They are herbivorous, but most also eat insects and their larvae. Hyraxes breed all year round. Their pregnancy lasts 7-7.5 months. The young are born well developed, sighted, covered with fur and soon become independent.
The origin of hyraxes is unclear. Perhaps they are closest to proboscideans. In fossil form, hyraxes are known from the early Oligocene of Africa. In the Pliocene, in addition to Africa and South-West Asia, they were common in Southern Europe.
Tree hyraxes(Dendrohyrax dorsalis, D. validus, D. arboreus) live in the forests of Central and South Africa. They are found on mountain slopes up to an altitude of 4500 m above sea level. The fur of tree hyraxes is longer and silkier than that of other species. The color of the upper body is brown with a grayish and yellowish coating due to the light-colored ends of the hair. The dorsal gland is covered with whitish hair. Short white hair covers the rim of the ears. The lower surface of the body is brown. Tree hyraxes differ in the details of the structure of their teeth and shades of fur color. Their body length is 40-60 cm, tail - 1-Zele, weight - 1.5-2.5 kg.
Tree hyraxes are very mobile: they quickly run up and down tree trunks, jump from branch to branch. These animals are nocturnal and therefore inconspicuous. However, in the evenings the forest is filled with their cries, signaling that hyraxes have come out to feed. At night, the screams subside, but fill the forest again before dawn, when the animals return home. The call of tree hyraxes consists of a series of croaking sounds ending in a sharp squeal. The voices of tree hyraxes of different species are clearly distinguishable. You can also distinguish a male from a female by its cry. Hyraxes scream only in trees. Probably, the cries of hyraxes are signals that the territory is occupied. Hyraxes lead a solitary lifestyle. The individual area of this animal is about 0.25 km2.
Hyraxes feed on leaves, buds, caterpillars and other insects. They often go down to the ground to feed, where they eat grass and collect insects; they spend the day in hollows or in the crown of a tree among dense foliage.
There is no specific breeding season, and they produce young all year round. Pregnancy lasts 7 months. Usually they bring one, rarely two cubs. They are born sighted, covered with hair, very large (almost half the length of the mother) and a few hours after birth they are already climbing trees. Sexual maturity is reached at 2 years.
The main enemies of tree hyraxes are leopards, snakes and birds of prey. When in danger, hyraxes take a characteristic pose, turning their backs to the enemy and ruffling the hair on the dorsal gland so that the glandular field is exposed. Local residents catch hyraxes everywhere, as the meat of these animals is of good quality. In captivity, tree hyraxes quickly become tame and live up to 6-7 years.
Genus mountain, or gray, hyraxes (Heterochyrax) includes 5 or 6 closely related species, common in Central and Southern Africa. Body length 30-38 cm, weight - 4.7-3.5 kg, no tail. The body is covered with short, rather coarse fur. It is brownish-whitish above, with dark ripples due to isolated groups of black-tipped hairs. The dorsal gland is covered with yellowish-whitish hair. The underparts are white. Species of rock hyraxes, including those inhabiting the islands of Lake Victoria, differ in the details of the structure of their teeth and coloration.
Mountain hyraxes live in mountainous, rocky areas from the sea coast to an altitude of 3800 m above sea level. They settle in colonies of several dozen to hundreds of animals.
Rock hyraxes are active during the day, making them easy to observe. In the morning, at the first rays of sunlight, they appear on rocks and stones, basking in the sun, like lizards. At first they move little and lie in a heap until (as recent studies have shown) their body temperature rises from 34 to 39°. Having warmed up, they animatedly dart among the stones, playing with each other. Soon the hyraxes (primarily females) begin to feed. At the slightest danger, these animals squeal piercingly and hide among stones or in rock crevices. However, they are very curious, and soon screams are heard here and there among the stones and the faces of animals appear. If you sit motionless among the colony, the hyraxes again start playing, continue to feed or bask, spread out on a stone. However, they see and hear very well: the slightest movement or click of the camera makes the animals hide.
Hyraxes spend most of the hot African day motionless, lying on the rocks, with their paws spread out to the sides and their soles turned up; apparently, this typical pose is due to the fact that hyraxes have sweat glands only on their soles.
In the evening, at 16-18 hours, hyraxes feed again, dig up rhizomes, bulbs or catch locusts. They spend the night among the stones, where they build nests lined with wool inside. In the nest, several animals gather in a dense group, which helps them maintain a high temperature, since their thermoregulation is poorly developed.
In the same nest made of wool, the female brings more often two cubs, sometimes one or three. (Heterochyrax brucei has an average of 1.7 young per female.) Gestation lasts about 7.5 months (average 225 days). Mountain hyraxes breed all year round, but more often young ones appear in February - March, before the rainy season. They are born sighted, covered with fur, and within a few hours they are already running.
The main enemies of mountain hyraxes are pythons, mongooses and birds of prey. The natives catch mountain hyraxes and eat their meat, but it is worse than tree meat. In captivity, rock hyraxes live well, but usually remain aggressive, bravely defending themselves using sharp, strong teeth.
Genus rocky or desert, hyraxes (Procavia) includes 3 species, distributed in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Their body length is 30-55 cm, weight - 1.4-2 kg. There is no external tail. The fur is short and coarse. On top it is colored brown-gray, lighter on the sides. The underparts are creamy. The dorsal gland is covered with black stripes. There are long black whiskers on the muzzle (the length of the whiskers is up to 18 cm). Rock hyraxes differ mainly in shades of color, size and details of the structure of the teeth. Externally, especially from a distance, rocky hyraxes, like mountain hyraxes, are very reminiscent of huge hay hyraxes or tailless marmots.
.
These hyraxes inhabit rocks, large rocky placers, outcrops or rocky shrubby deserts. They find shelter among rocks or dig holes between the roots of bushes.
Rock hyraxes live in colonies of 5-6 to 50 animals. They are active during the day, but sometimes come to the surface on moonlit nights. Unlike other hyraxes, they feed mainly on grass, leaves and bark of shrubs; They also eat animal food, especially locusts. Despite their short legs, the animals are very mobile and run away from the shelter at a distance of up to 3 km.
They breed all year round. Pregnancy lasts 7.5 months. Females usually give birth in June - July, after the end of the rains. A female often has 2, less often 3, young (Procavia habessinica and P. johnstoni have an average of 1.9 young per female). The animals are born sighted and covered with fur; after a few hours they leave the nest (in a hole or among stones) and begin to run. Female cape hyrax(P. capensis) gives birth to up to 6 young, and its newborns are less developed than those of other hyraxes and stay near the mother for some time.
The main enemies of hyrax are leopard, caracal, foxes, mongooses and birds of prey. When attacked by an enemy, the hyrax not only takes a defensive pose, exposing the dorsal gland on which the hair stands on end, but also defends itself with its strong teeth. Local residents eat hyrax meat as food.
In captivity, hyraxes can live up to 5-6 years. Young ones are funny and tame, while adults are angry and aggressive.
Animal life: in 6 volumes. - M.: Enlightenment. Edited by professors N.A. Gladkov, A.V. Mikheev. 1970 .
Everyone knows such an animal as the elephant, but it turns out that there is an animal with which the elephant has a lot in common, but not everyone is familiar with it. This small animal is a hyrax (or fat hyrax) - a mammal the size of a domestic one. African legend says they are related. Is this possible? Could such a pygmy be a relative of the largest of all land animals? It turns out it can. Scientists believe that more than 50 million years ago, an animal similar in size and appearance to a bear roamed Africa, digging up and eating tubers. His descendants took two completely different paths, some becoming huge and others quite small. This relationship is intuitively reflected in the local myth, which calls the hyrax the elephant's younger brother.
Hyraxes resemble a large one, but they are not actually rodents. In fact, science doesn't know exactly who their closest relatives are. Hyraxes live in rocky areas south of the Sahara and in the Middle East. Two species, the Cape hyrax and the mountain hyrax, can live together in one colony. Their rocky skyscrapers may seem impregnable, but this is no obstacle for eagles and they often attack from above. Fortunately, the hyrax has its own little tricks. The eagle tries to take its prey by surprise, diving from the direction of the blinding sun, but 
The hyrax can also look at the sun. The Zulus considered hyraxes to be blind, but their whole secret was a pair of unique sun filter glasses built into their eyes that absorb bright light. The hyrax quickly notices the predator and escapes into crevices between rocks or deep caves.
It is much safer here, but it is a little dark, therefore, giving rest to the eyes, which are practically useless in such deep dens, the hyrax uses a different tactic - it moves by touch. Long, hypersensitive whiskers—vibrises—grow all over his body and allow him to feel the unevenness and zigzags of these underground corridors so acutely that he always knows exactly where he is, even in pitch darkness. Such caves also protect it from the extreme African climate, and no matter how hot or cold it is outside, the inside is always quite cool.
The hyrax's body temperature also decreases, and this saves it energy. In Africa, if necessary, the sun will always quickly warm you right through. In fact, sunbathing is the main morning activity of hyraxes. At this time you can relax a little. Eagles, the main enemies, will not take off until the flow of heated air they need for soaring comes up from the ground. Therefore, hyraxes can calmly sit back and bask in the morning sun for several hours, and this cannot be taken away from them. Like reptiles, they use the sun's heat without expending precious food calories to warm themselves internally. As a result, they have a fairly modest appetite and do not need to spend much time feeding outside their stone bastions.
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