Cape Hyrax

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Cape Hyrax
Conservation status
Least Concern [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Hyracoidea Family: Procaviidae Genus: Procavia Storr, 1780 Species: P. capensis
Binomial name
Procavia capensis (Pallas, 1766)

The Cape Hyrax, or Rock Hyrax, (Procavia capensis) is a species in the order Hyracoidea. Like all hyraxes, it superficially resembles a guinea pig with short ears and tail. Known as a Dassie in South Africa.The Swahili names for them are "Pelele" or "Wibari". This species has many subspecies, many of which are known as Cape Hyrax or Rock Hyrax, although the latter usually refers to African varieties.

Contents 1 Occurrence 2 Physical description and lifestyle 3 Cape Hyraxes and medical treatment 4 Relationship to Elephants 5 External links 6 References

[edit] Occurrence

Cape Hyraxes are found south of Syria, Lebanon, through Israel and North Africa to much of sub-Saharan Africa, living in savanna or grassland areas. They live in cavities in rock outcroppings and can often be found in the burrows of other animals including those of aardvarks and meerkats.

In South Africa these animals are commonly called "dassies" or "rock rabbits" since they are often seen sunning themselves on rocks and, like the rabbits that they resemble, are small herbivores. The word 'dassie,' in Dutch as well as Afrikaans, means "badger" — which suggests early Afrikaner colonists (Cape Town or 'Kaapstad' was founded 1652) mistook the Cape Hyrax for a kind of badger.

The Syrian population has been described as a subspecies, Procavia capensis syriacus, although some regard it as a distinct species (once known as Hyrax syricaus).^[2] They are probably the "rock badger" or "coney" mentioned as an unclean meat in Leviticus 11:5.

[edit] Physical description and lifestyle

The skull of the Cape Hyrax has a pair of long tusk-like incisors and molars that resemble rhinoceros' molars. The forefeet are plantigrade, and the hindfeet semi-digitigrade. The soles of the feet have large, soft pads that are kept moist with sweat-like secretions. Male hyraxes are slightly larger than females.

Cape Hyrax give birth to two or three young after a 6-7 month gestation period. The young are well-developed at birth with fully-opened eyes and complete pelage. Young can ingest solid food after two weeks and are weaned at ten weeks. Young are sexually mature after 16 months, reach adult size at three years, and typically live about ten years.

Hyraxes live in herds of up to 80 individuals. These herds are subdivided into smaller flocks consisting of a few families and headed by an adult male. Hyraxes spend most of their time resting in large huddles or basking alone. These behaviors probably serve to help regulate body temperature as hyraxes' body temperature fluctuates with ambient temperature (i.e. they are not strictly homeothermic).

[edit] Cape Hyraxes and medical treatment

Cape Hyraxes produce large quantities of hyraceum (sticky mass of dung and urine) that has been employed by people in the treatment of several medical disorders, including epilepsy and convulsions.

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[edit] Relationship to Elephants

Hyraxes are widely stated to be the closest living relatives of elephants. This is not so. Though both are within the cohort of mammals known as Afrotheria, the Hyrax is not the closest living relative of the elephant. Elephants (Proboscidea) and hyraxes (Hyracoidae) are both more closely related to manatees and dugongs (Sirenia) than they are to one another. (See: Kemp, T.S., 2005 The Origin and Evolution of Mammals, Oxford University Press, at 252-253; citing Asher et al., 2003, 'Relationships of endemic African mammals and their fossil relatives based on morphological and molecular evidence', Journal of Mammalian Evolution 10: 131 - 194").

[edit] External links

• Animal Diversity Website - Procavia capensis
• The Bible - Book of Proverbs

[edit] References

1. ^ Barry et al (2006). Procavia capensis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
2. ^ Shoshani, Jeheskel (November 16, 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 88-89. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.