Mammal

Rock Hyrax Sightings

Procavia capensis

Least ConcernPrey speciesSeen in 3 parks

Want to know where and when to find Rock Hyrax right now? opspoor tracks live, verified sightings across South Africa's parks.

About the Rock Hyrax

The rock hyrax is a small, stocky mammal found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa and commonly associated with rocky hills, cliffs and outcrops. Despite its rodent-like appearance, it is more closely related to elephants and sea cows. It has a compact body, short legs, rounded ears and specialised rubbery foot pads that provide excellent grip on rocks. Rock hyraxes are primarily herbivorous, feeding on grasses, leaves, shoots and other vegetation, and live in social colonies where individuals cooperate in watching for predators.

How to identify the Rock Hyrax

Small, stocky mammal with a short tail, rounded ears, blunt nose and dense brown-grey fur. Often seen basking on rocks and has distinctive dark facial markings around the eyes.

Did you know?

Despite its appearance, the Rock Hyrax is more closely related to elephants and manatees than to rodents.

Also known as: Klipdassie, Rock Dassie, Dassie

Parks where you can see the Rock Hyrax

Recent Rock Hyrax sightings

No public sightings here yet — check back soon.

Planning a South Africa safari? opspoor tracks real, verified wildlife sightings like these across the country's parks — logged by people on the ground, not guesswork. It all works with zero signal, too, so a dead zone deep in the bush never costs you a sighting.