All About the Hyrax, the Elephant's Cousin That Looks Like a Rodent

Rock hyraxes are also called rock rabbits, or dassies. Other hyrax nicknames include pimbi, stone badger, cape hyrax, coney, and klipdas. Little brother of the elephant: What is one of the closest living relatives of the elephant? If you said the manatee or dugong, which are both marine mammals, you would be correct. But there is another family member that is often forgotten: the hyrax (HI-racks).

Female rock hyraxes stay with their family for life. There is one male for every five to seven females that patrols a certain territory within his colony. When babies, called pups, are born, usually around the same time once each year, the entire colony greets and sniffs the young ones. The pups are amazingly precocial, born with their eyes and ears open. They look like miniature adults and have the same luxuriant coat.