Cape Hyrax - "rock rabbit"

Cape hyrax The Cape Hyrax (Procavia capensis), like all hyraxes, slightly resembles a rabbit superficially. They live between the rocks and can often be found in burrows of other animals, like meerkats and aardvarks. People from South Africa call them "dassies" or "rock rabbits". "Dassie" means badger in German as well as in Afrikaans, which gives reason to believe the early colonist mistook the Cape Hyrax for a badger in the 17th century. Cape Hyraxes produce large amounts of dung and urine that has been used by locals in the treatment ofepilepsy and convulsions.

Image: Dassie (Cape Hyrax) photographed on Table Mountain by Andreas Tusche, Cape Town. The photo was taken on the rocks near the upper cable car station. Licensed under GFDL

Keywords: tail

Which zoos have them?
Brookfield Zoo (United States), Los Angeles Zoo (United States), Saint Louis Zoological Park (United States) and Smithsonian National Zoological Park (United States)

The Rock dassie, rock hyrax is listed as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category, on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Some facts about the
Rock hyrax

Adult weight : 3.6 kg (7.92 lbs)

Maximum longevity : 15 years

Female maturity :500 days

Male maturity : 500 days

Gestation : 215 days

Weaning : 116 days

Litter size : 3

Interval between litters : 365 days

Weight at birth : 0.205 kg (0.451 lbs)

Weight at weaning : 0.5 kg (1.1 lbs)

Basal metabolic rate : 5 W

Body mass : 2.458 kg (5.4076 lbs)

Temperature : 36.85 °C (98.33 °F)

Source: AnAge, licensed under CC

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