hyrax

Everyday

1. A small furry plant-eating mammal of Africa and the Middle East, looking like a big guinea pig or rabbit without long ears; it lives among rocks or in trees. tree →
2. Also called the «rock hyrax», «dassie» (South Africa) or «coney» (in the Bible). tree →

In the lessons

A science surprise: although it looks like a rodent, the hyrax's closest living relatives are elephants and sea cows – zoology shows this from its teeth, feet and DNA. In the Bible the «coneys» are called «a feeble folk» who make their homes in the rocks (Proverbs 30). Kipling's Just So Stories are set among African animals like these.

Examples

• A hyrax was sunning itself on a warm rock. tree →
• The hyrax is a distant cousin of the elephant. tree →
• In South Africa the hyrax is called a dassie. tree →
• The Bible says the conies make their homes in the rocks. tree →
• Hyraxes live in groups and keep watch for eagles. tree →
• The hyrax has rubbery pads on its feet for gripping rocks. tree →

Note

Plural: hyraxes (or, rarely, hyraces). Said «HY-raks». It is not a rodent, even though it looks like one.