Rock Hyrax

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*This page is under renovation and all information may not be up-to-date or complete*

Description

Rock hyraxes look similar in appearance to guinea pigs or rabbits, but they are actually more closely related to elephants, with similar skull, teeth, and toe structures. Though most of their teeth are molars, rock hyraxes have two upper incisors that grow continuously and look like small tusks.

Range & Habitat

Rock hyraxes live in dry, mountainous areas in the Middle East and Africa, where there are crevices to take shelter in.

Behavior

Rock hyraxes are colonial animals, living in groups of up to 50 individuals. They share sleeping areas and forage for food together. Every morning, rock hyraxes spend a few hours sunbathing and warming up. Then, they feed for a short period of time, eating in a circle formation with their heads pointing outwards to look out for predators, before resting again. Adult rock hyraxes are said to be inactive for about 95% of the time.

Diet

Rock hyraxes are herbivores, with a three-chambered stomach filled with beneficial bacteria to digest plants. During the wet season, they prefer to eat new shoots, buds, fruits, and berries, while during the dry season they will eat bark and lichens.

At the Zoo they eat …

Conservation

This species has stable populations across its range, so there are no major threats to their survival. However, because they may be hunted by subsistence farmers, rock hyraxes may be locally extinct in some parts of their range.

Protections for rock hyraxes in some countries have led to conflicts with humans, as these animals may destroy crops in areas where their habitat overlaps with agriculture.

Fun Facts

• Rock hyraxes have excellent vision — they can see predators over 1,000 yards (900 meters) away!
• Hyraxes have moist, rubbery pads on the bottoms of their feet. The center of the pad lifts up in the center, creating a suction-cup effect, which helps rock hyraxes hang on to slippery surfaces.
• Baby rock hyraxes eat adult hyrax feces to get the bacteria they need to digest plant material in their stomachs.

Virginia Zoo Animals

• Male: Bolder (born: 8/7/2020)
• Female: Opal (born: 8/20/2020)