Head to head
Tree Hyrax vs Rock Hyrax
Tree Hyrax
VS Rock Hyrax
The tree hyrax and rock hyrax are both small African mammals whose closest living relatives are elephants and manatees, but they have taken to very different homes, one in forest trees and the other on sunlit rocks.
| Tree Hyrax | Rock Hyrax | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Dendrohyrax | Procavia capensis |
| Habitat | Forest and rainforest | Rocky hills, cliffs, and boulder outcrops, from sea level to over 4,000 m |
| Activity | Mainly nocturnal | Basks in the sun in groups, especially in the morning |
| Feet | Moist, rubbery pads that grip bark and branches | Pads that act as suction cups, letting it climb near-vertical rock |
| Shelter | Tree hollows or dense foliage | Rock crevices, reused by colonies for generations |
| Signature trait | Loud, eerie screaming calls at night | Sentinels that watch for eagles while the group feeds |
| Native range | Forests of western, central, eastern, and southern Africa | Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Tree Hyrax vs Rock Hyrax: common questions
Are tree hyraxes and rock hyraxes related to elephants?
Yes, hyraxes are not rodents; their closest living relatives are elephants and manatees, and that applies to both the tree hyrax and the rock hyrax.
Which hyrax screams at night?
The tree hyrax, whose males give a long, rising series of shrieks after dark that carries through the forest.
Where do the tree hyrax and rock hyrax live?
The tree hyrax lives in forests of western, central, eastern, and southern Africa, while the rock hyrax lives on rocky hills and cliffs across Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East.