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HYRAX PAGE

Hyraxes (aka Dassies) are my favorite animal. Here are some things you need to know about them

Hyraxes live in Africa and the Middle East. They're small mammals that live in colonies of up to 80 and due to their poor thermoregulation spend most of their time basking in the sun on hot rocks and huddling together for warmth.

Despite their looks they aren't rodents, they're most closely related to elephants and manatees. Their fangs are actually miniature versions of elephant tusks.

They have the cutest toe beans in the animal kingdom. They use their sweaty little pads to help them quickly climb up steep rocks. They also have a large vocabulary of calls and fun noises.

Hyrax colonies all go to the toilet in the same place, over generations. This forms a mineral called Hyraceum which is apparently useful for medicine, perfumes and scientific information about the environment in the past.

Spain is named after them thanks to Carthaginian explorers never having seen a rabbit and naming the place after what they thought were hyraxes hopping around all over the place.

Bonus fact: Hyraxes first evolved 56 million years ago and there was something called a Titanohyrax which weighed up to 1300kg(2900lb). Modern hyraxes only get up to 5kg (11lb) at the biggest.

Bonus fact II: Hyrax is a word that can be found in the Bible (sometimes called a "Coney"). It's an animal people were forbidden from eating. You are also not allowed to eat them today, because I will hit you.