Hyraxes: Hyracoidea

Hyraxes live mainly in Africa. The rock hyrax has been seen from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia.

The hyrax eats mostly twigs, fruit, and bark as well as leaves, but it also feeds on lizard and bird eggs. Because their food is plant based, hyraxes can go for long periods of time without water, getting the moisture they need from the plants they eat.

Some African people hunt hyraxes for food and skin. The tree hyrax is harvested to be used in medicine. Deep coughs are relieved by drinking the ash of burnt hairs mixed with honey or water. Also, some tribes wrap newborn babies in hyrax skin to ensure health and vitality.

Three hyrax species are listed as Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Because these three species are found primarily in the African forests, their status is probably the result of habitat destruction, as well as being hunted for food and their fur. No other species has been given special status.