Yes, yes - it’s him!
Hyraxes are small animals very similar to marmots, and when hyraxes were discovered they were initially mistaken for rodents. After some time, paying attention to the structural features of their limbs, hyraxes were classified as odd-toed ungulates, and in mid-19th c., having discovered the similarity of hyraxes with elephants, they were separated into an independent detachment. The similarity of hyraxes with equids and elephants is explained by the presence of distant common ancestors of all these animals - the most ancient primitive ungulates, from which all modern ungulates descended.
Hyraxes are divided into 3 genera: tree, mountain and rock hyraxes. All hyraxes live in the mountains at an altitude of up to 5200 m above sea level. Tree hyraxes live in African mountain forests. Mountain hyraxes prefer rocky areas devoid of vegetation. And rocky hyraxes are found not only in the mountains, but also in semi-deserts, savannas and steppes of Africa, Arabia, Syria and Palestine. All hyraxes are excellent climbers on almost smooth vertical surfaces of stones or tree trunks. Wide, constantly moistened, rubber-like soles and the natural agility of these clumsy-looking animals help them avoid slipping.
Tree hyraxes live in families: father, mother and cubs. During the day they sleep in tree hollows, and in the evening they go out in search of edible leaves and insects. Tree hyraxes do not climb trees, but quickly run up and down inclined trunks and quickly jump from branch to branch.
Rock and mountain hyraxes prefer to live in large colonies, sometimes up to hundreds of individuals. Inhabited on open areas, it’s safer to stick together - you’ll notice the predator in time, and it’s easier to defend yourself together.
Hyraxes have babies all year round. Mountain and Rockies usually have 1-3 cubs in a litter. The most prolific is the Cape hyrax, which can give birth to up to 6 babies at the same time. Newborn hyraxes are fully developed, covered with hair and sighted, completely ready for independent life, although still under parental supervision. At 2 years old, young hyraxes already have their own own family. Hyraxes do not live long - about 6-7 years.
Hyraxes tolerate captivity well. Although adult individuals remain wild, young animals can be tamed. Hyraxes are not in danger of extinction, and not a single species of these animals is listed in the Red Book.
The largest hyraxes are Johnson hyraxes (up to 5.4 kg), and the smallest are Bruce hyraxes (up to 1.3 kg). Both of these species belong to the genus of mountain hyraxes and live in large colonies. It is curious that the composition of this colony is mixed: Bruce’s hyraxes do not just coexist with Johnson’s hyraxes: they spend the night in the same crevices, warming each other, jointly raise the offspring of the two species, and even communicate using similar sound signals.
Mountain hyraxes Such cohabitation different types animals are unique. Apart from hyraxes, only monkeys of some species communicate so closely with each other.
Short fact
Hyraxes do not need water, receiving all the necessary moisture from food.
To comb its thick brown-gray fur, the hyrax uses a long, curved claw located on its inside 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 move around easily and freely. steep cliffs, including upside down.
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.
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.
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.
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. 
Rus: Mountain hyrax
Eng: Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax
Lat: (Heterohyrax bruceii)
Distributed in Eastern and Southern Africa from Southeast Egypt (Red Sea coast), Sudan and Ethiopia to Central Angola (isolated population) and Northern South Africa (Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces).
The body length of an adult mountain hyrax is 32.5-56 cm, weight - 1.3-4.5 kg. Males and females are practically the same in size, although females are usually somewhat larger.
The habitat of mountain hyraxes is rocky hills, screes and mountain slopes. They rise into the mountains to a height of 3,800 m above sea level. Characteristic rocky hills (monadnocks) in arid areas provide hyraxes with suitable temperature (17–25˚C) and humidity (32–40%), providing protection from steppe fires.
Like all hyraxes, rock hyraxes are colonial animals. The usual size of a colony is up to 34 individuals; it is based on a stable polygynous family group (harem). The group includes an adult male, up to 17 adult females and young animals. Rock hyraxes often coexist alongside Cape hyraxes, sharing shelter with them. Hyraxes are active during the day, as well as in bright moonlit nights. They usually feed from 7.30 to 11 o'clock and from 15.30 to 18 o'clock in the afternoon, but up to 94% of the time is spent basking in the sun, caring for the coat, etc. Hyraxes find refuge in voids between stones, cracks and rock crevices. They have acute vision and hearing; When attacked, they aggressively defend themselves with their teeth. In case of danger, they emit piercing screams, forcing other hyraxes to hide in shelters. Capable of reaching speeds of up to 5 m/s; They jump well.
Mountain hyraxes feed on a variety of plant foods, including leaves, fruits, shoots and tree bark. For example, one colony observed in Zambia ate primarily the leaves of the bitter yam (Dioscorea bulbifera). The main source of food, however, is various types of acacias and allophilus; in general, they prefer to feed on trees and shrubs, for which they can even climb trees. The typical diet of mountain hyrax in the Serengeti National Park includes species of cordia (Cordia ovalis), grevia (Grewia fallax), hibiscus (Hibiscus lunarifolius), ficus (Ficus), and merua (Maerua triphylla). They do not drink water, obtaining the necessary liquid from vegetation. They feed in groups, less often - alone.
Rock hyraxes breed year-round, although peak breeding usually occurs at the end of the wet season. Pregnancy lasts 6.5-7.5 months and ends with the birth of 1-2 cubs in a brood nest, which rock hyraxes sometimes share with cape hyraxes. The weight of the baby at birth is 220-230 g. Milk feeding lasts up to 6 months. Between 12 and 30 months, mature young males leave their home territory; females join the family group.
Mountain hyraxes are hunted large snakes(hieroglyphic pythons), birds of prey, leopards and smaller predators (for example, mongooses). They are susceptible to viral pneumonia and tuberculosis. Suffer from nematodes of the species Crossophorus collaris, various types ticks, fleas and lice. The recorded life expectancy is up to 11 years.
Rus: Cape hyrax
Eng: Rock Hyrax
Lat: (Procavia capensis)
Distributed from Syria, Israel and Northeast Africa to South Africa. Found almost everywhere south of the Sahara. Isolated populations are found in the mountains of Libya and Algeria.
Body length 30-58 cm, weight - 1.4-4 kg. Males are slightly larger than females.
Cape hyraxes inhabit rocks, large rocky placers, outcrops or rocky shrubby deserts. Shelter is found among stones or in empty burrows of other animals (aardvarks, meerkat). They live in colonies of 5-6 to 80 individuals. Large colonies are divided into family groups, led by an adult male. They are active during the daylight hours, especially in the morning and evening, but sometimes come to the surface on warm moonlit nights. They spend most of the day resting and basking in the sun - poorly developed thermoregulation causes the body temperature of hyraxes to fluctuate throughout the day. They feed mainly on grass, fruits, shoots and bark of shrubs; They eat animal food (locusts) less often. Despite their clumsy appearance, these animals are very mobile and easily climb steep rocks.
The timing of the mating season depends on the habitat. So, in Kenya it begins in August-November, but can last until January; and in Syria - in August-September. Pregnancy lasts 6-7 months. Females usually give birth in June-July, after the rainy season. There are 2, rarely 3 cubs in a litter, sometimes up to 6. Cubs are born sighted and covered with hair; after a few hours they leave the brood nest. They begin to eat solid food at 2 weeks and become independent at 10 weeks. Young hyraxes reach sexual maturity at 16 months; At the age of 16-24 months, young males disperse, females usually remain with their family group.
The main enemies of hyrax are leopard, caracal, jackals, spotted hyena and birds of prey. The Kaffir eagle (Aquila verreauxii) feeds almost exclusively on hyraxes. When attacked by an enemy, the hyrax not only takes a defensive pose, raising its hair on end above the dorsal gland, but also defends itself with its long, strong teeth. The usual life expectancy in nature is 10 years. Females live noticeably longer than males.
Western tree hyrax
Eng: Western Tree Hyrax
Lat: (Dendrohyrax dorsalis)
They 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.
Their body length is 40-60 cm, tail is 1-3 cm, weight is 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 lead night image life and therefore hardly noticeable. 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.
Lead single image life. The individual area of this animal is about 0.25 km 2 . 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.
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. Locals Hyraxes are caught everywhere, since the meat of these animals good quality. In captivity, tree hyraxes quickly become tame and live up to 6-7 years.
Southern tree hyrax
Eng: Southern Tree Hyrax
Lat: (Dendrohyrax arboreus)
Distributed in Africa, along the Southeast coast. Its range extends south from Kenya and Uganda to South Africa and from eastern Congo and Zambia, west to east coast continent.
The average body weight is 2.27 kg, with a length of about 52 cm.
Inhabits mountain plain and coastal forests up to an altitude of 4500 m above sea level.
I became acquainted with hyraxes while traveling around Israel, when visiting the oasis of Ein Gedi. They showed themselves to be very cute and friendly animals. In addition, they turned out to be very unusual animals in terms of biology and behavior.
Description and distribution
Hyracoidea) is an order of mammals that includes one family consisting of four species (two diurnal, two nocturnal). The closest relatives of hyraxes (you'll never guess) are elephants. Hyrax is a fairly ancient animal; in the old days, their ancestors were widespread throughout African continent, but subsequently retreated, unable to withstand the competition with the emerging bovids - antelopes and goats.The hyrax is a small animal, comparable in size to a cat. The length of an adult hyrax is 30-60 cm, weight 1.5 - 4.5 kg.
Nowadays hyraxes can be found in northern Africa, in Syria and Israel. Hyraxes live in groups of up to 50 individuals. Having noticed the danger, they notify everyone with shrill screams, like
Features of hyrax
Hyraxes are not very good at maintaining their own body temperature, so they have to huddle in groups at night and bask in the sun during the day, like lizards. The temperature of hyrax can fluctuate between 24-39°C.
When it's cold, hyraxes gather in groups. Photo — koller93 When the animals warm themselves, they try to expose their “palms” - the soles of their paws - to the rays. At the same time, sweat is released on them, which helps the hyraxes climb by wetting the paws, which turn into a kind of suction cups, with the help of special muscles that raise the arch of the foot. Thanks to this know-how, the hyrax can climb and descend even along almost vertical rocks.
Hyraxes have 4 toes on their front legs with flat claws, more like hooves. On hind legs There are only three fingers, two with claws-“hooves”, and the middle one is long and curved.
On the back of the hyrax there is a stripe of longer hair, in the middle of which there is a bare area. When I first saw a hyrax, I thought that the poor thing had lost a tuft of hair. But it turns out that a normal hyrax should look like this. The ducts of a special dorsal gland open onto the bare area of the back - it is assumed that it plays a role in intersexual communication.
Enemies of hyraxes
Every desert predator wants to eat hyrax, but their main enemy is the Kaffir eagle, which specializes in catching them.
Kaffir Desert Eagle - main enemy hyrax The Damanian people live in constant fear of this bird. In front of the eyes of these animals, evolution even developed a special outgrowth of the iris that protects the pupil. Thanks to these “sunglasses”, our heroes can see the eagle even when looking at the dazzling bright desert sun. True, eagles still sometimes manage to outwit the hyrax; to do this, they maneuver as a pair: one eagle distracts the attention of the victim, and the second attacks unnoticed.
Damaniy watch What do hyraxes eat?
And hyraxes feed mainly on grass and leaves, occasionally indulging themselves in insect larvae. To digest plant food, the hyrax has a complex multi-chamber stomach inside.
In search of succulent leaves, hyraxes climb quite high into trees. Reproduction
Pregnancy in a female hyrax lasts about 7 months, after which small hyraxes are born. Up to six cubs are born at a time, usually 1-3. Newborns are born fully prepared for the difficult life of a hyrax - with with open eyes and capable of running fast. After two weeks they can already eat plant foods. The hyrax lives for about 10 years.
Hyrax Island
Hyraxes in Hebrew are designated by the word shaphan - one that hides. From Hebrew this word migrated to the language of the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians, on one of their travels, came across the Iberian Peninsula, where many rabbits lived. From afar, the sailors mistook the rabbits for the hyraxes they knew well and gave this place the name I-Shapan-im - Hyrax Island, or, as they now say, Spain.
Our meeting with the hyraxes
We met hyraxes in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, Israel (I wrote about this trip separately - “ “). In this oasis, the animals are protected and are not at all afraid of tourists. We were able to touch them, photograph them and get a good look at them. In my opinion, they resemble little bears.
The baby hyrax is not at all afraid of people Hyraxes living in Israel belong to the Cape hyrax genus - Procavia capensis. These are exactly what we saw in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. Here they are not afraid of people, but in general they are timid animals, although they are curious. Sometimes they even get into houses.
Hyrax is a cautious but curious animal And a few more of our photos of hyraxes from Israel. I will be glad to comments. Bye!
Hyrax or Hyraxidae (lat. Proсaviidae) is a family represented by small and stocky herbivorous mammals, the only one of all currently existing in the order Hyraxidae (Hyracoidea). The family includes five species.
Description of hyrax
Another name for hyraxes is zhiryaki. Even despite the rather ordinary external characteristics of modern hyraxes, such an animal has a prehistoric, very distant origin.
Appearance
Dimensions of a mammal: body length within 30-65 cm at average weight at the level of 1.5-4.5 kg. The tail part of the zhiryak is rudimentary, no more than 3 cm long, or completely absent. In appearance, hyraxes are similar to rodents - tailless marmots or large guinea pigs, but according to phylogenetic indicators, such a mammal is closer to proboscis animals and sirens. Hyraxes have a dense build, are characterized by clumsiness, a large head, as well as a thick and short neck.
The forelimbs are plantigrade, strong and fairly well formed, with four toes and flattened claws that resemble hooves. Hind limbs three-fingered type, with an inner finger having a long and curved nail for combing hair. The soles of the feet are bare, with a thick and rubbery epidermis and numerous sweat ducts necessary for constant hydration of the skin. This feature of the structure of the paws allows hyraxes to climb rocky cliffs and tree trunks with incredible speed and dexterity, as well as descend upside down.
This is interesting! In the middle part of the back there is an area represented by elongated, lighter or darker hair with a central bare area and glandular sweat ducts that secrete a strong-smelling secretion during reproduction.
The muzzle is short, with a forked upper lip. The ears are round in shape, small in size, sometimes almost completely hidden under the fur. The fur is thick, consisting of soft down and coarse awns, brownish-gray in color. On the body, in the area of the muzzle and neck, as well as above the eyes, there are tufts of long vibrissae.
Character and lifestyle
The Hyrax family consists of four species, a pair of which are diurnal, and a pair are nocturnal.. Representatives of the genus Procavia and Heterohyrax are diurnal mammals living in colonies of five to six dozen individuals. A nocturnal forest animal can be a loner or live in a family. All hyraxes are distinguished by their mobility and the ability to run quickly, jump quite high and easily climb almost any surface.
This is interesting! All representatives of one colony visit the same “toilet”, and their urine on the stones leaves very characteristic white crystalline traces.
Representatives of the Damanaceae family are characterized by the presence of good developed vision and hearing, but poor thermoregulation, so such animals try to get together at night to warm themselves. In the daytime, mammals, along with reptiles, prefer to bask for a long time under sun rays, raising up the paws with sweat glands. The hyrax is a very cautious animal, which, when danger is detected, emits sharp and high-pitched screams, forcing the entire colony to quickly hide in a shelter.
How long do hyraxes live?
Average lifespan of a hyrax in natural conditions does not exceed fourteen years, but may vary slightly depending on the habitat and species characteristics. For example, the African hyrax lives on average six or seven years, while Cape hyraxes can live up to ten years. At the same time, a characteristic pattern has been established, according to which females always live a little longer than males.
Types of hyraxes
Relatively recently, the hyrax family united about ten to eleven species, which belonged to four genera. Currently, only four, sometimes five species are distinguished:
- The Procaviidae family is represented by D. arboreus or Tree hyrax, D. dorsalis or Western hyrax, D. validus or Eastern hyrax, H. brucei or Bruce hyrax and Pr. sarensis or Cape hyrax;
- The Pliohyracidas family includes several genera - Kvabebihyrax, Pliohyrax (Leptodon), as well as Postschizotherium, Sogdohyrax and Titanohyrax;
- Family Geniohyidae;
- Family Myohyracidae.
All hyraxes are conventionally divided into three main groups: mountain, steppe and arboreal mammals. A number of hyraxes are represented by one family, which includes about nine species living in Africa, including tree and mountain hyrax.
Range, habitats
Rock hyraxes are colonial animals distributed throughout eastern and southern Africa, from southeastern Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to central Angola and northern South Africa, including the provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, where habitats include rocky hills, screes and mountain slopes.
Cape hyraxes have become quite widespread from Syria, North-Eastern Africa and Israel to South Africa, and are also found almost everywhere south of the Sahara. Isolated populations are observed in the mountainous landscapes of Algeria and Libya.
Western tree hyraxes live in forest areas on the territory of South and Central Africa, and are also found on mountain slopes up to an altitude of 4.5 thousand meters above sea level. Southern tree hyraxes have become widespread in Africa, as well as along the Southeast coastal zone.
The habitat of this species extends to the southern part from Uganda and Kenya to the territory of South Africa, as well as from eastern parts Zambia and Congo, in the western direction of the eastern continental coast. The animal lives in mountain lowland and coastal forests.
Hyrax diet
The basis of the diet of most hyraxes is represented by leaves. Also, such mammals feed on grass and young succulent shoots. The complex multi-chamber stomach of such a herbivore contains a sufficient amount of special beneficial microflora, which contributes to the most efficient and easy absorption of plant feed.
Cape hyraxes sometimes eat food of animal origin, mainly locust insects, as well as their larvae. The Cape hyrax is capable of eating vegetation containing fairly strong toxins without harm to its health.
This is interesting! Hyraxes have very long and sharp incisors, which are used not only in the feeding process, but also serve as a means of protecting the shy animal from numerous predators.
The usual diet of mountain hyraxes inhabiting National parks, includes varieties of cordia (Cordia ovalis), grevia (Grewia fallax), hibiscus (Hibiscus lunarifolius), ficus (Ficus) and merua (Maerua triphylla). These mammals do not drink water, so they obtain all the fluid necessary for the body exclusively from vegetation.
“Well,” he said, “everyone knows the elephant well, but few people know about the elephant’s grandson!”
- Which granddaughter of the elephant? - I was surprised.
- There is such a beast here. The elephant is huge, and his granddaughters smaller than a hare... The Abyssinians call him ashkoko."
- What? So, Ashkoko is not the elephant’s granddaughter? - Artem Artamonovich said fiercely.
“Perhaps, if you so want kinship, then he is the granddaughter of an elephant, the nephew of a rhinoceros, the uncle of a horse, a donkey, a zebra and in general all equids.”
(A. Cheglok, Russian traveler, theosophist, writer, inventor, naturalist).
Although in all Bible translations hyraxes(genus Procaviidae) are called rabbits, careful research has proven that their closest relatives are not hares, but... elephants! Hyraxes are the smallest of the ungulates and, perhaps, the most skilled climbers: they quickly and deftly climb steep cliffs and easily jump over three to five meter crevices.
Spain, where hyraxes have never existed in historical times, nevertheless owes its name to them. Several thousand years ago, the Phoenicians first sailed to its shores and saw there many wild rabbits. By mistake or deliberately - now it is difficult to determine - they named the rabbits after the well-known hyraxes, which then inhabited the rocks of their homeland in large numbers.
In Phoenician hyrax is “shapan”. The Phoenicians called the newly discovered Iberian Peninsula the “Island of Hyraxes” - “I-Shapan”. Later "I-Shapan" in Latin turned into “Hispania”, and in Russian - into “Spain”.
Hyraxes are mentioned in five places in the Bible. Shaphan is their Hebrew name. Bible translators European languages, in particular Martin Luther, puzzled for a long time over what kind of beast the shaphan was and what to call it in their language. They finally decided that it was apparently a rabbit.
In the book of Leviticus, shafan is declared an unclean animal and it is forbidden to eat it for the incomprehensible reason that although it chews the cud, its hooves are cloven. There is a misunderstanding here: the shafan, or shapan, in other words, the hyrax does not chew the cud, but these animals have a strange habit of constantly moving their jaws, just as ruminants do when they chew their dinner.
Common places for hyraxes to settle are barren rocks. They deftly climb the steepest cliffs. And when does anyone from this frisky company notice wild cat, mongoose or python, then immediately warns its relatives by whistling, squealing and stamping its paws, and everyone instantly hides in crevices and holes between the stones. But the animals are too curious.
Soon one or the other gray muzzle will appear from the shelter and hide again if the danger has not passed. And if it’s calm, the Ashkoko quickly leave their shelters, and again their carefree running enlivens the dull cliffs.
The soles of the feet of hyraxes are bare, covered with a thick rubber-like epidermis; Numerous ducts of sweat glands open on their surface, which constantly moisturize the skin. central part The arch of each foot can be lifted by special muscles, creating something like a suction cup. Wet skin enhances suction. Thanks to such devices, hyraxes can climb steep cliffs and tree trunks with great dexterity and speed, and even descend from them upside down.
Hyraxes live like good neighbors with baboons, lizards and other peaceful creatures. Their amazing vigilance (a person can be noticed a kilometer away), sensitive hearing and tireless vigilance serve as a guarantee of a certain safety for everyone. wild inhabitants immediate surroundings.
For centuries, hyraxes live in their favorite places, and these places are easy to recognize by the deposits of guano, which cover the stones with a hard “asphalt”, on which hyraxes are accustomed to leaving their droppings. Even in the last century, the dry droppings and urine of the Cape hyrax, consumed for various medicines by apothecaries, occupied a prominent place in world trade. They still find some demand in perfumery.
In crevices lined with wool, female rock hyraxes usually give birth to three, but sometimes six surprisingly large and mature cubs. (One, measured a few hours after birth, was half the size of its mother.) The newborns' eyes are open, and within a few hours, as soon as the fur dries, they are already climbing rocks with adult Ashkokos. Females willingly adopt other people's cubs if their mothers have died.
All hyraxes climb trees well, but only three species preferred tree tops to rocks tropical forest. Tree hyraxes, like rock hyraxes, have four toes on their front legs and three on their hind legs. Only the middle toe of the hind paws has a claw; all the others have tiny hooves.
On the back of all hyraxes there is a large odorous gland with a white or yellow “trimming” of long hair (only in the genus Procavia, by the way the largest hyraxes, this spot is black). The animals themselves are brown-gray, and therefore their dorsal gland is very noticeable, especially when the hyrax is excited, scared or aggressive. Then the hair surrounding the gland, ruffled, exposes it, and it emits specific “aromas”.
Hyraxes threaten enemies of comparable strength in a very strange way: raising their hair around the dorsal gland and thereby exposing it for better viewing, they turn their backs to the enemy.
In any case, this is what tree hyraxes do, those that live not on rocks, but on trees in the forests of Central and South Africa and on the Bioko Islands (Fernando Po). All hyraxes are good tree climbers, but only three species preferred the treetops of tropical forests to rocks.
Tree hyraxes, like rock hyraxes, have four toes on their front legs and three on their hind legs. Only the middle toe of the hind paws has a claw; all the others have tiny hooves. They almost never go down to the ground; during the day they sleep in leaves and hollows (rock hyraxes sleep at night). After sunset, tree hyraxes fill the forests with loud, abrupt cries.
Tree hyraxes do not live in colonies, but in families: father, mother and one or two cubs. They are monogamous, and rocky ones are polygamous: males have harems of several females, like their “grandfather” - the elephant.
In contact with
Hyraxidae are a family of small, stocky, herbivorous mammals, numbering 4 species.
The only family of the monotypic order Hyracoidea.
They live in Africa and the Middle East.
Despite the ordinary appearance of modern hyraxes, they have a distant prehistoric origin.
Hyraxes are the closest relatives of modern elephants.
general description
These are animals the size of domestic cat: body length from 30 to 60-65 cm, weight from 1.5 to 4.5 kg.
The tail is rudimentary (1-3 cm) or absent.
By appearance hyraxes resemble rodents - tailless marmots or large guinea pigs, - however, phylogenetically closest to elephants.
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 rubber-like 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, 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 and 28 baby teeth.
Maxillary incisors with constant growth, are 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 distinguished 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.
Photo gallery
Helpful information
hyraxes
lat. Procaviidae
Hebrew שפניים
Arab. وَبَريَات
English Hyrax
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 proboscideans, 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 hyrax family included up to 10-11 species belonging to 4 genera. After 1995, the number of species was reduced to only 4:
- Family Hyraxaceae ( Procaviidae)
- Genus Tree hyraxes ( Dendrohyrax)
- Tree hyrax ( Dendrohyrax arboreus)
- Western hyrax ( Dendrohyrax dorsalis)
- Genus Mountain hyraxes ( Heterohyrax)
- Heterohyrax brucei)
- Genus Tree hyraxes ( Dendrohyrax)
- Genus Rocky hyraxes ( Procavia)
- Cape hyrax ( Procavia capensis)
Loading...
