Why is the elephant's closest relative the hyrax? Israeli relatives of African elephants. About the reproduction of mountain hyraxes
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.Daman – small beast, comparable in size to a cat. The length of an adult hyrax is 30-60 cm, weight 1.5 - 4.5 kg.
Now hyraxes can be found in northern Africa, 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 temperature own body, so at night they have to huddle in groups, and during the day they have to bask in the sun, 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. There are only three toes on the hind legs, two with claws, and the middle one is long and curved.
On the back of the hyrax there is a stripe of more long 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 open eyes and able to run quickly. 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 genus Cape hyraxes - 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!
Taxonomy
Russian name- Bruce's hyrax
Latin name- Heterohyrax brucei
English name- Yellow-spotted rock hyrax
Squad- Hyraxes
Family- Hyraxes
Genus- Rock hyraxes
Hyraxes are indeed related to elephants, but this does not mean that the hyrax is a small elephant. It’s just that hyraxes and hyraxes and sirens (dugongs and manatees) had common ancestors in ancient times. This is confirmed by numerous similarities in the structure of the teeth, the skeleton of the limbs, the genitalia of males (the testes of which do not descend into the scrotum) and many (more than 200) other, less obvious anatomical details. The relationship of hyraxes with proboscis and sirenians is also confirmed by the results of genetic studies.
Bruce's hyrax is a representative of the hyrax order, which includes the only hyrax family. The family includes four species. Two of them - tree hyrax and western hyrax - make up the genus of forest hyraxes. The Cape hyrax is the only representative of the genus of rock hyraxes, and the Bruce hyrax belongs to the genus mountain hyraxes.
Status of the species in nature
Since 2006, the species is listed in the International Red List as “least concern” - IUCN (LC). This status was assigned due to the large number of Bruce hyraxes and their wide distribution, including in protected areas - in nature reserves and national parks.
Species and man
Hyraxes have been known to people since ancient times. Even the ancient Phoenicians mentioned them, calling them “shafan” (hiding). True, they apparently did not distinguish them from rabbits. Having landed on the Iberian Peninsula, where rabbits were found in abundance, the ancient Phoenician sailors called this land “i-shphanim” - “shore of the hyraxes”. According to one version, this is where it comes from modern name Spain.
In general, people have confused hyraxes with whom. The word “hyrax” itself is of Arabic origin and means “ram”. And its English name hyrax is the word Greek origin, it is translated as “shrew”.
The species received its modern name in honor of the famous Scottish traveler and writer of the 18th century James Bruce, who spent many years in North Africa and Ethiopia, studying the history, culture and nature of these places.
The most vulnerable of all hyraxes are forest hyraxes, whose existence is associated with forests suffering from logging and other human activities.
The position of rocky and mountain hyraxes is somewhat better. Their habitats - rocky placers and cliffs - are of little interest to people. The hyraxes themselves are quite calm about the proximity of humans and readily colonize anthropogenic landscapes, including settlements, even entering houses and outbuildings. In Africa, hyraxes are also kept as pets, but only occasionally, because adult animals are difficult to tame, and a hyrax can only become tame if caught little cub. In some places in southern Africa, hyraxes can be hunted for their meat and skins, from which they make bedding and blankets.
Distribution and habitats
Bruce's hyrax is common in southern and East Africa: in central Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Congo, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, in the north of South Africa, in Southeast Egypt (Red Sea coast).
The species inhabits dry savannas, mountain slopes, rocky hills and screes. Bruce's hyraxes rise into the mountains up to 3800 m above sea level, to rocky hills (monandoks), where they find refuge from the heat (the temperature at these hills is not higher than 25 ° C, air humidity is 30–40%), as well as from frequent steppe fires. Hyraxes make their shelters for the night in crevices and cracks in the rocks.
Appearance and morphology
Bruce's hyraxes are small animals, weighing from 1.5 to 4 kg. Body length is from 30 to 60 cm. The tail is short, 1–3 cm. There is no significant difference in size between the sexes, although females may be slightly larger. The muzzle is short, with a forked upper lip and small round ears, and the limbs are short. The coat is short, thick and dense. The color of the fur on the back and sides varies slightly: in animals living in colonies inhabiting arid regions it is grayish, in areas with moderate humidity it is brownish-red. The belly is light. There are light spots (“eyebrows”) above the eyes. There is a gland on the back - areas of bright yellow color, about 1.5 cm long, surrounded by long, up to 10 cm, hair.
The front paws have four toes with unusually shaped flat claws resembling hooves. The hind feet have three toes - the claws on two of them also have the shape of a hoof, and the inner toes have long nail. The limbs are plantigrade and adapted for moving on smooth stones - the soles are bare, moist due to the secretions of the skin glands and can even serve as suction cups.
The female has three pairs of nipples - one pair of pectoral and two pairs of inguinal.
Hyraxes have from 34 to 38 permanent teeth. All types of hyraxes have upper incisors that resemble miniature tusks and are separated from a pair of fangs by a large gap - a diastema. The upper incisors lack enamel and are constantly growing, which slightly resembles the incisors of rodents. Two pairs of lower incisors are comb-shaped; the animals use them when caring for their fur.
Hyraxes can look directly at the sun without harm to their eyesight thanks to an unusual device: their pupils are protected from bright light by an outgrowth of the iris.
Lifestyle and social behavior
Bruce's hyraxes, like all representatives of the order, are colonial animals. live in large groups up to 30–35 individuals. The basis of such a colony is a family group: an adult territorial male and females (according to various sources, from 5–7 to 17) with many cubs and young animals of both sexes (males remain in the group only up to 16 months). Several colonies can exist in close proximity to each other, but the males defend their territory from each other by scaring off and biting other males.
Hyraxes are active in daytime. At night they keep each other warm by huddling in tight groups. The rest of the time they do not stay so closely together, but try not to stray from the group, keeping an eye on the bright spots on the backs of their relatives.
Not far from the sleeping areas, Bruce's hyraxes set up communal toilets. They are often marked with white spots on vertical stones - traces of urine.
Nutrition and feeding behavior
Bruce's hyraxes, like the rest of the order, are herbivorous. They feed on the succulent parts of herbaceous plants - shoots, leaves, succulent stems, flowers and buds, as well as the bark and shoots of trees, such as acacias. They don't drink water. They usually feed in the morning and from 3 to 6 p.m., and the search for food is interspersed with long periods of lying in the sun and grooming. Hyraxes feed in groups, less often alone.
Vocalization
The male emits a high-pitched cry while courting the female. In case of danger of attack by predators, the male also gives piercing signals, upon hearing which, the animals instantly hide or freeze motionless, pretending to be dead.
Reproduction and raising of offspring
Females can give birth annually. The breeding season depends largely on geographical location colonies. The fact is that the peak of reproduction occurs at the end wet season. Thus, among hyraxes living in Kenya, the peak of reproduction occurs in February-March, and in Tanzania (Serengeti) it is shifted to December-January. Pregnancy is quite long, from 6 to 7.5 months, in a litter there are usually 1-3 cubs weighing 220-230 g. It is interesting that such a long pregnancy is usually characteristic of large animals. It is possible that this property is an echo of those ancient times when (as evidenced by paleontological research materials) hyraxes reached the size of a small cow.
It is interesting that within the same colony, females give birth almost simultaneously, within three weeks, and often babies from the entire colony are collected in a kind of nursery - but at the same time, each mother feeds only her own cubs. The cubs are born quite mature: covered in fur and with open eyes.
In just a couple of hours, they can leave the brood nest and follow the adults - and sometimes climb onto the back of the mother or another adult. The female feeds them with milk for up to 6 months, but within a few days after birth the young animals begin to eat plant foods. At the age of about a year, grown females enter the family group, and young males leave the colony.
There is a fairly high mortality rate among cubs (according to some data, more than half of them die), since they are tasty prey for many predators - the hieroglyphic (rock) python, large birds of prey, leopards, caracals, servals, mongooses and smaller mammals.
Adult hyraxes manage to protect themselves from small predators with the help of sharp teeth, but their most reliable protection is shelter among the stones.
Lifespan
According to verified data (see link), the life expectancy of hyraxes in nature is no more than 4 years (a number of sources give figures of 10 and even 14 years, but they are, in all likelihood, greatly overestimated). There is evidence that in captivity, hyraxes live up to 11–12 years. (http://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Heterohyrax_brucei)
Animal in the Moscow Zoo
Hyraxes appeared at the zoo at the beginning of 2016, at the exhibition in the Elephants pavilion ( Old territory) lives a group of 4 young males. At first they were shy, only one animal came out to the public, and for this he received the nickname Brave. But very little time has passed, and now all four hyraxes, having grown bolder, are sitting on artificial steep cliffs, looking at the visitors with curiosity. Animals tend to freeze for a long time without moving, so that visitors sometimes cry out in surprise when they discover that the “dummies” are actually alive!
This order unites one modern family Procavidae, which includes 3 genera and about 10 species.
Externally, hyraxes look a little like a rabbit, a tailless marmot, or a very large haymaker. Their body length is from 30 to 60 cm, there is no tail, or it is only 1-3 cm long, the weight of the animal is from 1.5 to 4.5 kg. The muzzle is short, with a forked upper lip; the ears are small, in some species almost hidden in the fur; legs are short but strong. The front feet are four-toed with flattened claws resembling hooves; The hind feet are three-toed, the inner toe bears a long curved nail, and the others have hoof-like claws like the front feet. The bare soles have pads and central part The arch of the sole can be lifted by special muscles when it is supported on the substrate, which creates a vacuum, and the paw is sucked to the surface of a stone or tree trunk. Glands on the soles, secreting a rubber-like secretion, promote strong suction of the sole to the substrate. Thanks to this device, hyraxes can run up and down vertical rocks and tree trunks with great agility and speed. There are 28 milk teeth, 34-38 permanent teeth. The only pair of upper incisors with constant growth is devoid of enamel on the inner surface and resembles rodent incisors. A wide diastema separates the incisors from one pair of canines (the latter may be absent). Premolar (4/4) and especially molar (3/3) teeth are similar to the teeth of ungulates. The stomach is divided into 2 sections. On the back of hyraxes there is a large secreting glandular field of 7-8 lobes - the dorsal gland, the meaning of which is unclear. In young people it is poorly developed, and in females it is less than in males. When frightened or excited, the hair covering the gland (they are a different color than the hair on the entire back) becomes ruffled, exposing the gland, from which an odorous substance is released.
The fur of hyraxes is thick, has a soft undercoat and hard awns. On the body (especially on the muzzle above the eyes and on the neck) there are tufts of long whiskers. The color of the fur is often brownish-gray with different shades, but there is always a patch of light or black hair on the dorsal gland.
Hyraxes inhabit Africa and South-West Asia (Arabian Peninsula). Terrestrial species Hyraxes live on rocks, rising along mountain slopes to an altitude of 4500 m above sea level, or among stones and bushes on dry plains. Tree hyraxes inhabit forests. They are herbivorous, but most also eat insects and their larvae. Hyraxes are breeding all year round. Their pregnancy lasts 7-7.5 months. The young are born well developed, sighted, covered with fur and soon become independent.
The origin of hyraxes is unclear. Perhaps they are closest to proboscideans. In fossil form, hyraxes are known from the early Oligocene of Africa. In the Pliocene, in addition to Africa and South-West Asia, they were common in Southern Europe.
Tree hyraxes(Dendrohyrax dorsalis, D. validus, D. arboreus) 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. The fur of tree hyraxes is longer and silkier than that of other species. The color of the upper body is brown with a grayish and yellowish coating due to the light-colored ends of the hair. The dorsal gland is covered with whitish hair. Short white hair covers the rim of the ears. The lower surface of the body is brown. Tree hyraxes differ in the details of the structure of their teeth and shades of fur color. Their body length is 40-60 cm, tail - 1-Zele, weight - 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 look 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. Voices of tree hyraxes different types well different. 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. Hyraxes lead a solitary lifestyle. The individual area of this animal is about 0.25 km2.
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.
The main enemies of tree hyraxes are leopards, snakes and predator birds. 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.
Genus mountain, or gray, hyraxes (Heterochyrax) includes 5 or 6 closely related species, common in Central and South Africa. Body length 30-38 cm, weight - 4.7-3.5 kg, no tail. The body is covered with short, rather coarse fur. It is brownish-whitish above, with dark ripples due to isolated groups of black-tipped hairs. The dorsal gland is covered with yellowish-whitish hair. The underparts are white. Species of rock hyraxes, including those inhabiting the islands of Lake Victoria, differ in the details of the structure of their teeth and coloration.
Mountain hyraxes live in mountainous, rocky areas from the sea coast to an altitude of 3800 m above sea level. They settle in colonies of several dozen to hundreds of animals.
Rock hyraxes are active during the day, making them easy to observe. In the morning, at first sun rays, they appear on rocks and stones, basking in the sun, like lizards. At first they move little and lie in a heap until (as recent studies have shown) their body temperature rises from 34 to 39°. Having warmed up, they animatedly dart among the stones, playing with each other. Soon the hyraxes (primarily females) begin to feed. At the slightest danger, these animals squeal piercingly and hide among stones or in rock crevices. However, they are very curious, and soon screams are heard here and there among the stones and the faces of animals appear. If you sit motionless among the colony, the hyraxes again start playing, continue to feed or bask, spread out on a stone. However, they see and hear very well: the slightest movement or click of the camera makes the animals hide.
Most of the roast African day hyraxes walk motionless, lying on the stones, with their paws spread out to the sides and their soles turned up; apparently, this typical pose is due to the fact that hyraxes have sweat glands only on their soles.
In the evening, at 16-18 hours, hyraxes feed again, dig up rhizomes, bulbs or catch locusts. They spend the night among the stones, where they build nests lined with wool inside. In the nest, several animals gather in a dense pile, which helps them maintain high temperature, since their thermoregulation is poorly developed.
In the same nest made of wool, the female brings more often two cubs, sometimes one or three. (Heterochyrax brucei has an average of 1.7 young per female.) Gestation lasts about 7.5 months (average 225 days). Mountain hyraxes breed all year round, but more often young ones appear in February - March, before the rainy season. They are born sighted, covered with fur, and within a few hours they are already running.
The main enemies of mountain hyraxes are pythons, mongooses and birds of prey. The natives catch mountain hyraxes and eat their meat, but it is worse than tree meat. In captivity, rock hyraxes live well, but usually remain aggressive, bravely defending themselves using sharp, strong teeth.
Genus rocky or desert, hyraxes (Procavia) includes 3 species, distributed in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Their body length is 30-55 cm, weight - 1.4-2 kg. There is no external tail. The fur is short and coarse. On top it is colored brown-gray, lighter on the sides. The underparts are creamy. The dorsal gland is covered with black stripes. On the muzzle there are long black whiskers (the length of the whiskers is up to 18 cm). Rock hyraxes differ mainly in shades of color, size and details of the structure of the teeth. Externally, especially from a distance, rocky hyraxes, like mountain hyraxes, are very reminiscent of huge hay hyraxes or tailless marmots.
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These hyraxes inhabit rocks, large rocky placers, outcrops or rocky shrubby deserts. They find shelter among rocks or dig holes between the roots of bushes.
Rock hyraxes live in colonies of 5-6 to 50 animals. They are active during the day, but sometimes come to the surface on moonlit nights. Unlike other hyraxes, they feed mainly on grass, leaves and bark of shrubs; They also eat animal food, especially locusts. Despite their short legs, the animals are very mobile and run away from the shelter at a distance of up to 3 km.
They breed all year round. Pregnancy lasts 7.5 months. Females usually give birth in June - July, after the end of the rains. A female often has 2, less often 3, young (Procavia habessinica and P. johnstoni have an average of 1.9 young per female). The animals are born sighted and covered with fur; after a few hours they leave the nest (in a hole or among stones) and begin to run. Female cape hyrax(P. capensis) gives birth to up to 6 young, and its newborns are less developed than those of other hyraxes and stay near the mother for some time.
The main enemies of hyrax are leopard, caracal, foxes, mongooses and birds of prey. When attacked by an enemy, the hyrax not only takes a defensive pose, exposing the dorsal gland on which the hair stands on end, but also defends itself with its strong teeth. Local residents eat hyrax meat as food.
In captivity, hyraxes can live up to 5-6 years. Young ones are funny and tame, while adults are angry and aggressive.
Animal life: in 6 volumes. - M.: Enlightenment. Edited by professors N.A. Gladkov, A.V. Mikheev. 1970 .
Often, guided external resemblance, people compare hyraxes with large rodents: marmots, haymakers, guinea pigs- and they are very mistaken. Anatomical structure These inconspicuous, but very popular animals in Israel are so different from the structure of all other mammals that zoologists have identified them as a separate order. Their closest relatives among living creatures turned out to be elephants, as well as sirens - a small, extremely peculiar group large animals that never leave the water. Photo SPL/EAST NEWS
The Phoenicians (and after them the ancient Jews), it seems, did not distinguish them from rabbits at all, calling both of them with the same word “shafan” - “hiding”. Today they have their own name.
- Procavia capensis. The body length of an adult animal is 30-55 centimeters, weight is 1.4-4 kilograms. Males are on average slightly larger than females. Top part the body, as a rule, is colored brownish-gray, the underparts are creamy, although different families and individual individuals, coloring can vary greatly. The fur covering the dorsal gland is black, less often pale yellow or red. They live in southern Syria, the Arabian Peninsula, Israel and almost all of Africa (in the Sahara - in separate isolated populations in the mountains of Algeria and Libya). They prefer rocks, piles of stones, and scree, although they are also found in lowland savannas. Life expectancy is 10-11 years.
Mountain hyrax (yellow-spotted, Bruce's hyrax) - Heterohyrax brucei. Body length - 32-56 centimeters, weight - 1.3-4.5 kilograms. The fur is mostly light, but on the upper side of the body the ends of the hairs are dark brown, which gives the hyrax a peculiar “shimmering” color. Color variations are common, ranging from gray (in dry areas) to brownish-red (in humid areas). The underparts are almost white, the dorsal gland spot is usually bright yellow, sometimes from reddish-buff to off-white. Distributed from Ethiopia and southeastern Egypt to Angola and northern South Africa, isolated populations live in central Sahara and Democratic Republic Congo. Biological features and the way of life is very similar to the Cape hyrax.
Tree hyraxes are three species of the genus Dendrohyrax. Body length - 40-60 centimeters, weight - 1.5-2.5 kilograms. They differ from hyraxes of open landscapes in their smaller size, somewhat more slender body, and the presence of a tail (1-3 centimeters). The body color is brown (often grayish or yellowish), the hair on the dorsal gland is light. Inhabited by almost all African rainforests- from Gambia in the northwest to Kenya and Tanzania in the east and South Africa in the south.
Glorious family ties did not in any way affect the appearance of the hyraxes. A baggy body on short legs, rounded ears, beady eyes, a slightly upturned black nose, a forked upper lip, in constant motion, as if an animal was chewing something quickly. The tail is either very short (in tree hyraxes) or absent altogether. Except that the paws do not look quite ordinary: instead of claws on the toes there are flattened hooves, similar to those of an elephant (only the middle toes on the three-toed hind legs are decorated with a long curved claw). Moreover, on the back of all hyraxes there is a round spot, the fur on which always differs in texture and color from the surrounding fur, no matter how it is colored. When the animal is frightened or excited, this fur stands on end, opening numerous glandular mouths, from which an odorous secretion is released. In general, scent glands are not uncommon in mammals, but in no one except hyraxes they are located in the very high point backs. What can be marked with the help of such a gland, except for the roof of the burrow?
If the word “hyrax” is used without qualifying definitions, you can be sure that we're talking about about the Cape hyrax, a widespread species found in Israel. The very name “hyrax” Arab origin and is translated as “ram,” although both in appearance and in their way of life, hyraxes are extremely reminiscent of marmots. They live in the mountains (without climbing, however, into the highlands), rocks, stone deposits and outcrops. Families range from 5-6 to 50 animals. If the soil allows, they dig deep, well-equipped holes (not disdaining, however, the abandoned shelters of other diggers, such as aardvarks); if not, they find refuge in caves, crevices, or simply between stones. In their ability to climb rocks, they will probably give a head start to marmots: it’s hard not to be surprised when watching how a heavy-looking animal soars up an almost vertical stone wall with unexpected ease. The hyrax allows this trick to be performed by its “palms” - paw pads, which constantly secrete sticky “sweat”. In addition, soft elastic pads work like suction cups. Of course, the suction strength and durability are not such that the hyrax can hang on the ceiling or vertical wall.
The ability to quickly reach shelter is important for the animal, which is constant prey for a number of predators - from leopard to mongoose. Among them, the “specialized” hunter of hyraxes stands out, for whom they serve as almost the only food - the Kaffir black eagle, the African analogue of the golden eagle. This enemy forces hyraxes to constantly look at the sky, for which their eyes are protected by a kind of sunglasses - a special outgrowth of the iris that covers the pupil. With the help of such a filter, a hyrax can see a feathered predator even against the backdrop of the blinding sun. But eagles have their own tricks: they hunt in pairs, and while one of the spouses maneuvers in full view of the hyraxes, attracting the attention of the entire colony, the other unexpectedly attacks. What makes such a tactic successful is the nature of the animal itself: despite all their caution, hyraxes are desperately curious and are always ready to stare even at clearly dangerous objects. So, when a person appears, they immediately hide in their shelters, but if uninvited guest will stand or sit motionless, after a few minutes curious faces begin to appear from all the holes. Then the animals come to the surface and begin to study a new “detail” of the landscape. But at the slightest movement or sound, they immediately disappear into their holes again.
Hyraxes feed mainly on plant food: young shoots and leaves, roots, rhizomes, tubers, bulbs, juicy fruits and even bark, although they never miss an opportunity to diversify the table with gaping insects, and during locust invasions they switch mainly to it. Like many inhabitants of hot open landscapes, they feed mainly in the morning and evening, but can return to eating during the moon if it shines bright enough. It is only important that the night be warm: with maintaining constant temperature Hyraxes' bodies cope poorly; their temperature ranges from 24 to 39°C. Therefore, when animals come out of their holes in the morning, the first thing they do is simply warm up in the sun. They often sunbathe during the day: in a strange position, lying on their stomachs and turning their paws with their soles up. It would seem that when living in a hot, dry climate, such habits should lead to high consumption water. However, in fact, hyraxes drink water only occasionally; usually they only need the moisture contained in food or released during its digestion.
Hyraxes are characterized by poorly developed thermoregulation, and to keep warm, they huddle in heaps at night and bask in the sun during the day. Photo IMAGE BROKER/VOSTOCK PHOTO
And only when it comes to reproduction, hyraxes resemble ungulates rather than rodents. Their mating games are not strictly confined to any season, but most of the cubs are born at the end of the rainy season (in different regions This different months, but usually June - July), when there is a lot of juicy food around. Birth is preceded by an unusually long pregnancy for animals of this size - about 7.5 months. But the cubs (usually there are from one to three) will be born sighted, covered with fur, and after a few hours they can move and leave the hole. After two weeks they are already eating grass, after ten they stop following their mother everywhere, and by 16 months they become adults. After this, over the course of several months, young males gradually leave the colony, and females remain in it for the rest of their lives.
In Central and Southern Africa, next to the usual hyraxes, you can see others, distinguished by a light yellow spot, indicating the dorsal gland. This is a mountain hyrax, also known as the yellow-spotted hyrax, or Bruce's hyrax. Although zoologists classify it as separate genus, By appearance, lifestyle, diet, etc., it is very similar to the Cape hyrax - so much so that sometimes they form mixed colonies. The differences are noticeable only in the size of the colonies (in mountain hyraxes they are more numerous - from several dozen to a couple of hundred animals) and in the timing of reproduction: if Cape hyraxes are most often born at the end of the rainy season or immediately after them, then mountain hyraxes - on the eve or at the beginning this season, in February–March.
Three other species, united in the genus of tree hyraxes, are also quite similar in appearance to the mountain and cape hyraxes (although somewhat smaller in size and have some sort of tail), and their tastes are approximately the same. They love succulent parts of plants with the addition of insects they come across. But their habitats and everyday habits are completely different. Tree hyraxes live in forests, climb trees (although they often willingly descend to the ground) and are active mainly at night. They prefer to live alone, owning their own individual plots (the patrimony of one animal is about a quarter of a square kilometer). They mainly use hollows as shelter, but they can spend the day simply in the crown of a tree. Going to feed at nightfall and returning from it in the morning, tree hyraxes scream loudly, apparently confirming the habitability of the area.
The fate of forest hyraxes depends on fate African forests, thinning due to human activity. Cape and mountain hyraxes are in a much better position: their favorite landscapes - rocks and stone deposits - are unattractive to humans. But the hyraxes themselves view human settlements as a completely livable, albeit turbulent, environment. True, in most African countries, the transformation of the hyrax into a representative of the urban fauna is restrained by active hunting for them. Where it is not carried out (as, for example, in Israel), hyraxes often even go inside buildings, ransacking utility rooms and climbing stairs to the upper floors. They are also kept as pets: if adult hyraxes are tamed rather poorly, then, being caught by cubs, they quickly become completely tame.
Zoo center
Type- chordates
Class- mammals
Squad- hyraxes
Family- hyraxes
Often, guided by external similarities, people compare hyraxes with large rodents: marmots, haymakers, guinea pigs - and they are very mistaken. The anatomical structure of these inconspicuous, but very popular animals in Israel is so different from the structure of all other mammals that zoologists have identified them as a separate order. Their closest relatives among living creatures were elephants, as well as sirens - a small, extremely peculiar group of large animals that never leave the water. Photo SPL/EAST NEWS
Zoo center
Type - chordates
Class - mammals
Order - hyraxes
Family - hyraxes
The Phoenicians (and after them the ancient Jews), it seems, did not distinguish them from rabbits at all, calling both of them with the same word “shafan” - “hiding”. Today they have their own name.
Cape hyrax - Procavia capensis. The body length of an adult animal is 30-55 centimeters, weight is 1.4-4 kilograms. Males are on average slightly larger than females. The upper part of the body is usually brown-gray, the lower part cream-colored, although color can vary greatly among different families and individuals. The fur covering the dorsal gland is black, less often pale yellow or red. They live in southern Syria, the Arabian Peninsula, Israel and almost all of Africa (in the Sahara - in separate isolated populations in the mountains of Algeria and Libya). They prefer rocks, piles of stones, and scree, although they are also found in lowland savannas. Life expectancy is 10-11 years.
Mountain hyrax (yellow-spotted, Bruce's hyrax) - Heterohyrax brucei. Body length - 32-56 centimeters, weight - 1.3-4.5 kilograms. The fur is mostly light, but on the upper side of the body the ends of the hairs are dark brown, which gives the hyrax a peculiar “shimmering” color. Color variations are common, ranging from gray (in dry areas) to brownish-red (in humid areas). The underparts are almost white, the dorsal gland spot is usually bright yellow, sometimes from reddish-buff to off-white. Distributed from Ethiopia and southeastern Egypt to Angola and northern South Africa, isolated populations live in central Sahara and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Biological characteristics and lifestyle are very similar to the Cape hyrax.
Tree hyraxes are three species of the genus Dendrohyrax. Body length - 40-60 centimeters, weight - 1.5-2.5 kilograms. They differ from hyraxes of open landscapes in their smaller size, somewhat more slender body, and the presence of a tail (1-3 centimeters). The body color is brown (often grayish or yellowish), the hair on the dorsal gland is light. They inhabit almost all African tropical forests - from Gambia in the northwest to Kenya and Tanzania in the east and South Africa in the south.
The glorious family ties did not in any way affect the appearance of the hyraxes. A baggy body on short legs, rounded ears, beady eyes, a slightly upturned black nose, a forked upper lip, in constant motion, as if an animal was chewing something quickly. The tail is either very short (in tree hyraxes) or absent altogether. Except that the paws do not look quite ordinary: instead of claws on the toes there are flattened hooves, similar to those of an elephant (only the middle toes on the three-toed hind legs are decorated with a long curved claw). Moreover, on the back of all hyraxes there is a round spot, the fur on which always differs in texture and color from the surrounding fur, no matter how it is colored. When the animal is frightened or excited, this fur stands on end, opening numerous glandular mouths, from which an odorous secretion is released. In general, scent glands are not uncommon in mammals, but in no one except hyraxes they are located at the highest point of the back. What can be marked with the help of such a gland, except for the roof of the burrow?
If the word “hyrax” is used without qualifying definitions, you can be sure that we are talking about the Cape hyrax, a widespread species found in Israel. The name “hyrax” itself is of Arabic origin and is translated as “ram,” although both in appearance and in the way of life, hyraxes are extremely reminiscent of marmots. They live in the mountains (without climbing, however, into the highlands), rocks, stone deposits and outcrops. Families range from 5-6 to 50 animals. If the soil allows, they dig deep, well-equipped holes (not disdaining, however, the abandoned shelters of other diggers, such as aardvarks); if not, they find refuge in caves, crevices, or simply between stones. In their ability to climb rocks, they will probably give a head start to marmots: it’s hard not to be surprised when watching how a heavy-looking animal soars up an almost vertical stone wall with unexpected ease. The hyrax allows this trick to be performed by its “palms” - paw pads, which constantly secrete sticky “sweat”. In addition, soft elastic pads work like suction cups. Of course, the suction strength and durability are not such that the hyrax can hang on the ceiling or vertical wall.
The ability to quickly reach shelter is important for the animal, which is constant prey for a number of predators - from leopard to mongoose. Among them, the “specialized” hunter of hyraxes stands out, for whom they serve as almost the only food - the Kaffir black eagle, the African analogue of the golden eagle. This enemy forces hyraxes to constantly look at the sky, for which their eyes are protected by a kind of sunglasses - a special outgrowth of the iris that covers the pupil. With the help of such a filter, a hyrax can see a feathered predator even against the backdrop of the blinding sun. But eagles have their own tricks: they hunt in pairs, and while one of the spouses maneuvers in full view of the hyraxes, attracting the attention of the entire colony, the other unexpectedly attacks. What makes such a tactic successful is the nature of the animal itself: despite all their caution, hyraxes are desperately curious and are always ready to stare even at clearly dangerous objects. So, when a person appears, they immediately hide in their hiding places, but if the uninvited guest stands or sits motionless, after a few minutes curious faces begin to appear from all the holes. Then the animals come to the surface and begin to study a new “detail” of the landscape. But at the slightest movement or sound, they immediately disappear into their holes again.
Hyraxes feed mainly on plant food: young shoots and leaves, roots, rhizomes, tubers, bulbs, juicy fruits and even bark, although they never miss an opportunity to diversify the table with gaping insects, and during locust invasions they switch mainly to it. Like many inhabitants of hot open landscapes, they feed mainly in the morning and evening, but can return to eating during the moon if it shines bright enough. It is only important that the night be warm: hyraxes do not cope well with maintaining a constant body temperature; it ranges from 24 to 39°C. Therefore, when animals come out of their holes in the morning, the first thing they do is simply warm up in the sun. They often sunbathe during the day: in a strange position, lying on their stomachs and turning their paws with their soles up. It would seem that when living in a hot, dry climate, such habits should lead to a large consumption of water. However, in fact, hyraxes drink water only occasionally; usually they only need the moisture contained in food or released during its digestion.
And only when it comes to reproduction, hyraxes resemble ungulates rather than rodents. Their mating games are not strictly confined to any season, but most of the cubs are born at the end of the rainy season (in different regions these are different months, but usually June - July), when there is a lot of juicy food around. Birth is preceded by an unusually long pregnancy for animals of this size - about 7.5 months. But the cubs (usually there are from one to three) will be born sighted, covered with fur, and after a few hours they can move and leave the hole. After two weeks they are already eating grass, after ten they stop following their mother everywhere, and by 16 months they become adults. After this, over the course of several months, young males gradually leave the colony, and females remain in it for the rest of their lives.
In Central and Southern Africa, next to the usual hyraxes, you can see others, distinguished by a light yellow spot, indicating the dorsal gland. This is a mountain hyrax, also known as the yellow-spotted hyrax, or Bruce's hyrax. Although zoologists classify it as a separate genus, in appearance, lifestyle, diet, etc., it is very similar to the Cape hyrax - so much so that they sometimes form mixed colonies. The differences are noticeable only in the size of the colonies (in mountain hyraxes they are more numerous - from several dozen to a couple of hundred animals) and in the timing of reproduction: if Cape hyraxes are most often born at the end of the rainy season or immediately after them, then mountain hyraxes - on the eve or at the beginning this season, in February-March.
Three other species, united in the genus of tree hyraxes, are also quite similar in appearance to the mountain and cape hyraxes (although somewhat smaller in size and have some sort of tail), and their tastes are approximately the same. They love succulent parts of plants with the addition of insects they come across. But their habitats and everyday habits are completely different. Tree hyraxes live in forests, climb trees (although they often willingly descend to the ground) and are active mainly at night. They prefer to live alone, owning their own individual plots (the patrimony of one animal is about a quarter of a square kilometer). They mainly use hollows as shelter, but they can spend the day simply in the crown of a tree. Going to feed at nightfall and returning from it in the morning, tree hyraxes scream loudly, apparently confirming the habitability of the area.
The fate of forest hyraxes depends on the fate of African forests, which are thinning due to human activity. Cape and mountain hyraxes are in a much better position: their favorite landscapes - rocks and stone deposits - are unattractive to humans. But the hyraxes themselves view human settlements as a completely livable, albeit turbulent, environment. True, in most African countries, the transformation of the hyrax into a representative of the urban fauna is restrained by active hunting for them. Where it is not carried out (as, for example, in Israel), hyraxes often even go inside buildings, ransacking utility rooms and climbing stairs to the upper floors. They are also kept as pets: if adult hyraxes are tamed rather poorly, then, being caught by cubs, they quickly become completely tame.