Hyrax
Hyrax
Procavia capensis
Hyraxes look like large guinea pigs, with gray, brown, or brownish-yellow fur. They have dark noses; tiny, mouselike ears; a stumpy tail and a light-colored spot on their backs. Their incisor teeth grow constantly, and are worn down by biting and chewing.
Interesting Facts
- Sociable creatures, hyraxes use more than 20 different sounds to communicate with each other.
- When hyrax colonies are out and about, one member acts as a sentry, watching for danger and barking if it sees something alarming.
- Fossils have been found that suggest hyrax ancestors were the size of oxen.
- Hyraxes have been observed to go more than four months without water.
- Their feet have moist, sticky surfaces that work like a suction cup, helping the animals cling to surfaces as they climb.