22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - ROCK HYRAX (Procavia capensis)

Rock hyraxes are territorial animals. Males and females are the same size and do not weigh more than 4 kg. They are diurnal animals and usually live in colonies that range from 4 to 8 individuals, but when the young are born, there can even be about 25 animals in the entire colony.

The colonies are hierarchical, where a male and a female are dominant. Four types of males can be differentiated in a colony: the territorial ones (which are the most dominant and aggressive, favoring them in copulation with receptive females), the peripheral ones (they are those who are below the dominant ones and take advantage of any carelessness of the dominant one). to be able to mate with females), the dispersers (they are the youngest males that leave their birthplace when they have already matured sexually at 16 or 24 months of age) and the late ones (they leave the birth group a year later than the dispersed).

In general, these animals are very inactive, which allows them to survive in very dry, water-poor areas, where the abundance of their food is quite scarce. Although they are herbivores, they are not ruminants, and their kidneys are efficient enough to allow them to survive on very little water. Their urine is very concentrated (it has high amounts of electrolytes, urea and calcium carbonate).

Although very different morphologically, hyraxes (order Hyracoidea) and elephants (order Proboscidea) are closely related evolutionarily. Together with manatees and dugongs (order Sirenia) they form the Paenungulata clade, one of the two that make up the superorder Afrotheria, which includes mammals whose evolutionary origin took place on the African continent.

Because they usually always urinate in the same place, calcium carbonate crystals accumulate in these rocks. These crystals were used by African tribes to cure different diseases such as epilepsy or hysteria.

3-11-2021 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - ROCK HYRAX (Procavia capensis)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/43086-Procavia-capensis

12-2-2020 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - ROCK HYRAX (Procavia capensis)

16-1-2019 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - ROCK HYRAX (Procavia capensis)

The rock hyrax (/ˈhaɪ.ræks/; Procavia capensis), also called dassie, Cape hyrax, rock rabbit, or coney (in early English Bible translations[3]), is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. Commonly referred to in South Africa as the dassie (/ˈdæsi/; Afrikaans: klipdassie), it is one of the five living species of the order Hyracoidea, and the only one in the genus Procavia. Rock hyraxes weigh 4–5 kg (8.8–11.0 lb) and have short ears.

Rock hyraxes are found at elevations up to 4,200 m (13,800 ft) above sea level in habitats with rock crevices, allowing them to escape from predators. They are the only extant terrestrial afrotherians in the Middle East. Hyraxes typically live in groups of 10–80 animals, and forage as a group. They have been reported to use sentries to warn of the approach of predators. Having incomplete thermoregulation, they are most active in the morning and evening, although their activity pattern varies substantially with season and climate.

Over most of its range, the rock hyrax is not endangered, and in some areas is considered a minor pest.

Along with other hyrax species and the sirenians, this species is the most closely related to the elephant. An unrelated, convergently evolved mammal of similar habits and appearance is the rock cavy of Brazil.

13-9-2017 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - ROCK HYRAX (Procavia capensis)

The Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. It is also commonly referred to in South Africa as the dassie. These cute animals are the only extant terrestrial afrotherians in the Middle East. Along with other hyrax species and the sirenians, Rock hyraxes are the most closely related to the elephant.

The Rock hyrax is an unusual creature that lacks tail. The coat of this animal is dense and varies greatly in color. However, the upper parts of the hyrax are usually brownish-grey, whereas the underparts are lighter. On its back, the Rock hyrax exhibits a characteristic marking, colored in black, yellow, or orange. Underneath this patch, the animal has a special gland, giving off a specific odor. The hyrax also possesses moist and rubber-like foot soles, allowing it to easily grasp objects when climbing steep rocks of its range.

The natural range of Rock hyrax covers a huge territory, including most of sub-Saharan Africa (except for the Congo basin and Madagascar) and northeastern Africa, stretching eastwards to the western and southern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula. The preferred habitat of this species is arid areas such as deserts, savannas, and scrub forests as well as rocky terrains with moderate vegetation. Rock hyraxes typically favor places with abundant rock crevices and cavities, since the latter are used as shelters.

The Rock hyraxes are highly sociable animals, forming groups of 2-26 individuals. These colonies usually consist of one breeding male and multiple adult females with their young. Occasionally, subordinate males can be observed in these groups. Although they are generally active by day, these animals have also been known to be active and communicate through calls during moonlit nights. Coming out of their shelters, they take sunbaths for 1-2 hours in order to warm up. Rock hyraxes start foraging by afternoon. During overcast, rainy, or cold days, these animals rarely come out of their shelters. Meanwhile, they tend to remain in shady sites during extremely hot days. As grazers, hyraxes feed on the ground, sometimes climbing trees to feed on fresh leaves. 

The Rock hyraxes are highly sociable animals, forming groups of 2-26 They feed in groups, where the breeding male or a female always stands guard on a high rock or tree branch: once a threat is detected, the animal emits a sharp barking call, which acts as an alarm, after which members of the group flee to their shelters. Rock hyraxes use a wide variety of vocalizations to communicate with conspecifics. These include whistles, mews, high-pitched tones, shrieks, and other sounds, which serve group members as a form of daily communication or alarm when threatened.