Hyracoidea

Today I'm dedicating my blog to my second favorite animal ever (next to turtles, obvs) the rock hyrax (Procavia capensis). This little critter lives in Africa and nearby desert regions, used to be much more widespread and have many more species (only a few species exist in the entire order today). I know they can be harvested by humans...Charl says he has shot them, and I'm sure habitat destruction also plays a role in their decreasing numbers.

Here's a pic..just something I found on the web since I've never been to Africa! I didn't discover this animal until I had to memorize 50 different orders of animals for a class and had to look up Hyracoidea to get a mental image. Pretty much fell in love with these little buck toothed furballs. They also have a very unique lineage, most people would think they're closely related to rodents or maybe lagomorphs (rabbits and hares) but they're actually evolved from the same common ancestor as elephants and manatees!! Crazy huh. It's hard to see in pictures but they have hoofed feet, they're like the special cousins in the ungulate family.

They chill in little family units (see above). I don't really know what predator defenses they have besides making ugly faces, but they do physically guard their young when threatened.

Excuse this odd post, I just have nowhere else to vent my love for the rock hyrax. I'm also extremely bored at home in Dubtown. It's soo crazy snowy here! There's about two feet, not joking, people don't like driving in that shii.


One another note, one of my quotes of the day (I have a widget for that) was......
"A pilgrim is a wanderer with a purpose."   -Peace Pilgrim
and it reminded me of Natalie :)   HOLLA.


Well blog, I'll talk at you later, piece out.