Rock hyrax are closely related to Elephants!
Rock hyrax are a terrestrial Mammal and can also be called a ‘Rock Dassie’.
Upon first appearance a hyrax could be mistaken for a rodent, surprisingly they are members of the clade Paenungulata, making them more closely related to elephants and manatees than any other group of mammals.
Unlike other browsing mammals, they do not use their incisor teeth to slice off leaves; they use their molar teeth at the rear of their mouth.
Rock Hyrax are not ruminants but have a multichambered stomach that allows bacteria to break down tough plant matter.
Size: Adults head and body are from 30cm to 50cm in length with their tails ranging from 10cm to 25cm. They are quite heavy animals, for their size, ranging from 3.5kg to 4kg in weight.