Heterohyrax brucei
hoggar hyrax
(Also: yellow-spotted hyrax)

The yellow-spotted hyrax occurs from South eastern Egypt to Central Angola and Northern South Africa.

The yellow-spotted hyrax is found exclusively in rocky areas. Colonies occur on rocky kopjes, rocky hillsides, krantzes, and in piles of loose boulders. They are typically found in mountainous regions at elevations of about 3800 meters.

Yellow-spotten Hyrax have a coat of thick, short, coarse fur. They range from 305- 380 mm in length, and they have no external tail. They resemble a guinea pig in appearance, but they are very different from caviomorph rodents. The feet of the hyrax are specialized in ways that allow these animals to locomote easily on slick rocks. The soles of their feet are naked, and are kept moist by the secretions of specialized glands. In addition, the musculature of the foot contracts the foot into a cup like shape. The net result is a suctioncup-like effect. The hyrax can cling with remarkable power to the rocky substrates they inhabit.

The yellow-spotted hyrax breeds at the end of the wet season (April - June). The gestation of seven and a half months produces 1-4 young. The precocious young are born in a fur lined nest, and are capable of following adults around within several hours of birth.

Hyrax are colonial animals. They often engage is social play and may live in groups containing hundreds of animals. Hyrax have keen hearing and sharp eyesight. They are constantly alert and have a scream-like alarm vocalization. Hyrax are fierce fighters and will bite savagely at anything that attacks them. The attentiveness and aggressive nature of hyrax are warranted, as rock python, birds of prey, leopards, and small carnivores such as mongoose may attempt to prey upon them at any time.

The yellow-spotted hyrax is a generalist browser. It eats many different types of vegetation. In Zambia, a colony was reported in which individuals ate primarily the leaves of the bitter yam. This plant is typicaly used by the native in the area to make poison arrows. In Kenya, these animals have been reported to rely heavily on grasses during the wet season.

Humans eat hyrax when other food animals are scarce. The meat is reported to be tough and chewy, however, so Hyrax are eaten only when necessary.