Rock Hyrax / Dassie

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Flutterby
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Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Flutterby »

We saw these dassies near Masorini picnic spot. I have never seen dassies climbing trees before...is this normal?

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Toko
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Re: Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Toko »

It's very normal :-) I have seen lots of DITs \O but never in Kruger :-(

They eat any vegetation from grass to tree leaves. But they feed mostly on grasses, and supplement their diet with herbage, leaves, berries, fruit, and the bark of trees during the dry season. They have a tolerance for eating highly poisonous plants.


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Toko
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Re: Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Toko »

Rock Dassie feeding on a branch of a Candelabra-Tree Euphorbia cooperi

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Flutterby
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Re: Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Flutterby »

Tx Toko! \O


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Flutterby
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Re: Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Flutterby »

From Wikipedia:

Hyraxes feed on a wide variety of different plants, including both grasses and broad-leafed plants. They also have been reported to eat insects and grubs. The rock hyraxes forage for food up to about 50 metres from their refuge, usually feeding as a group and with one or more acting as sentries from a prominent lookout position. On the approach of danger, the sentries give an alarm call, and the animals quickly retreat to their refuge. They are able to go for many days without water due to the moisture they obtain through their food. Despite their seemingly clumsy build, they are able to climb trees, and will readily enter residential gardens to feed on the leaves of citrus and other trees.


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Penga Ndlovu
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Re: Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Penga Ndlovu »

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Amoli
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Re: Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Amoli »

Lovely pic PN.. ^Q^ ^Q^


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Penga Ndlovu
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Re: Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Penga Ndlovu »

Thanks Amoli. \O


"Longing for the bush is a luxury many have.
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Re: Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Flutterby »

Cutie! :-)


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Re: Rock Hyrax / Dassie

Post by Dewi »

-O Love it. \O


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