Dave Taylor's African Safari: Trophic Level II - The Herbivores - Bush Hyrax (Yellow-spotted)

Dave Taylor's African Safari: Trophic Level II - The Herbivores - Bush Hyrax (Yellow-spotted) - Page 19

Trophic Level II - The Herbivores
Bush Hyrax (Yellow-spotted)
Page 19

Heterohyrax brucei

Length: 32-57 cm (13-22")

Weight: 2-3.5 kg (4.4-7.7 lb.)

Status: Not endangered, still common across its range

Habitat: Bush hyrax are found in wooded riverbanks, escarpments, rocky outcrops and in the Serengeti’s kopjes. They normally shelter in rocks but will use trees, termite mounds or old burrows. They are often found living with rock hyraxes.

Food: Bush hyraxes are excellent climbers. Classed as near-ungulates, they are the only "ungulate species" to climb trees for food.

In the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, virtually their entire diet is supplied by two trees: Acacia tortilis and Allophyus. They eat leaves, fruits, stems and twigs. They have a very efficient gut that allows them to process their food.

Hyraxes behave in many ways like reptiles. On cold days, they rely on the sun to warm their bodies in the morning. It is a common sight to see them lying on sunny rocks, stretched out, basking in the early morning heat. Once they have warmed up, they begin to feed. At night, when the air cools, they seek shelter in the rocks and band together. This conserves warmth and also helps to reduce the amount of food they must consume. It is an economical approach that allows them to exploit an environment as no other ungulate can.

Social System: Bush hyraxes live in colonies of up to 34 animals. Females mix with each other and also with rock hyraxes. Often the two species will huddle together at night for warmth.

Behavior: Female bush hyraxes, like female rock hyraxes, remain on the range where they were born. They will give birth to from one to three young. Babies are born well-developed and with their eyes open.

Females of either species within a colony give birth at the same time but the timing can vary from colony to colony. In the Serengeti, births occur either between March and May or December and January. They nurse only their own offspring.

During mating season, the male's testes will increase to 20 times their normal weight. The males make a mewing courting call.

Both sexes, of both species, reach puberty at the age of 1. 5 years but females rarely breed for another year after that. Males are three years old before they mate.

Both species have a life span of between 9 and 14 years.

Since the species are so similar and share the same range, why don't they inter-breed? Bush hyrax males have a much larger penis than the rock hyrax male's, making it difficult, if not impossible, to breed with female rock hyraxes.

Predators: Leopards, eagles, small cats, and snakes are their predators. Hyraxes will flee larger enemies and may, at times, mob a small predator.

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