lørdag 14. desember 2013

Hærfugl 'Upupa epops' 'Hoopoe' Caesarea, Israel 2013

Hærfugl 'Upupa epops' 'Hoopoe' Caesarea, Israel 2013
Kom over to hærfugler og en sporevipe i ruinene av Caesarea, de var tydeligvis på leting etter føde. I 2008 ble hærfuglen valgt til Israels nasjonalfugl.

Fra Wikipedia
Hærfugl 'Upupa epops' på engelsk Hoopoe er en fugl i samme ordenen kråkefugler, som også forøvrig huser mange fargerike arter: isfuglerbietere og blåråker. Det engelske og latinske navnet er laget ut fra lokketonen: Et hult, vidtrekkende, flerstavet rop. Det norske navnet henspiller på gammel overtro, som tolket opptreden av denne sjeldne gjesten i Nord-Europa, som et varsel om krig.
Hærfuglen tilbringer mye tid på bakken, på jakt etter insekter og makk. Denne dietten kan ha vært blant grunnene til at hærfuglen er listet opp som en «uren» fugl i det gamle testamente.

Fra Norsk Studiebibel 1998
Tredje Mosebok 11,13 "Dette er de fuglene dere skal holde for en styggedom, de skal ikke etes, de er en styggedom..." 11.19 ...og hærfuglen...", Femte Mosebok 14.12 "Men disse fuglene skal dere ikke ete..." 14.18 "og hærfuglen..." 

Fra Wikipedia
Hærfuglen er 25–29 cm lang, med et vingespenn på 44-48 cm. Den er svart, hvit og rosa på farge. Flukten er uforutsigbar og hærfuglen kan minne om en svær sommerfugl når den flyr. Fjærtoppen kan reises opp, men holdes for det meste nede. Hærfuglen går på bakken som en stær.
Redet er i et hull i et tre eller i en vegg. Som hos sine slektninger isfuglene, er redet gjerne fullt av avføring og lukter ille som et forsvar mot rovdyr. Hærfugler er i stand til å sprute avføring på inntrengere.
Hærfugl 'Upupa epops' 'Hoopoe' i flukt

The Hoopoe 'upupa epops'

The Hoopoe 'Upupa epops' is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers. It is the only extant species in the family Upupidae. One insular species, the Saint Helena Hoopoe, is extinct, and the Madagascar subspecies of the Hoopoe is sometimes elevated to a full species. Like the Latin name upupa, the English name is an onomatopoeic form which imitates the cry of the bird.

The Hoopoe is a medium sized bird, 25–32 cm (9.8–12.6 in) long, with a 44–48 cm (17.3–19 in) wingspan weighing 46–89 g (1.6–3.1 oz). The species is highly distinctive, with a long, thin tapering bill that is black with a  fawn base. The strengthened musculature of the head allows the bill to be opened when probing inside the soil.  The hoopoe has broad and rounded wings capable of strong flight; these are larger in the northern migratory subspecies. The Hoopoe has a characteristic undulating flight, which is like that of a giant butterfly, caused by the wings half closing at the end of each beat or short sequence of beats.


The call is typically a trisyllabic oop-oop-oop, which gives rise to its English and scientific names, although two and four syllables are also common. In the Himalayas, the calls can be confused with that of the Himalayan Cuckoo 'Cuculus saturatus' although the cuckoo typically produces four notes. Other calls include rasping croaks, when alarmed, and hisses. A wheezy note is produced by females during courtship feeding by the male. Both genders, when disturbed, call a rough charrrrrr, strongly reminiscent of the warning cry of the Eurasian Jay. The food begging call of the nestlings is similar to a Common Swift tiii.
The Hoopoe is widespread in EuropeAsia, and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. Most European and north Asian birds migrate to the tropics in winter. In contrast the African populations are sedentary year-round. The species has been a vagrant in AlaskaU. e. saturata was recorded as being seen there in 1975 in the Yukon Delta. Hoopoes have been known to breed north of their European range, and in southern England during warm, dry summers that provide plenty of grasshoppers and similar insects, although as of the early 1980s northern European populations were reported to be in the decline possibly due to changes in climate.
The Hoopoe has two basic requirements in its habitat; bare or lightly vegetated ground on which to forage and vertical surfaces with cavities (such as trees, cliffs or even walls, nestboxes, haystacks, and abandoned burrows) in which to nest. These requirements can be provided in a wide range of ecosystems and as a consequence they inhabit a wide range of habitats from heathland, wooded steppes, savannas and grasslands, as well as glades inside forests. The Madagascar subspecies also makes use of more dense primary forest. The modification of natural habitats by humans for various agricultural purposes has led to them becoming common in olive groves, orchards, vineyards, parkland and farmland, although they are less common and declining in intensively farmed areas. Hunting is of concern in southern Europe and Asia.
Hoopoes make seasonal movements in response to rain in some regions such as in Ceylon and in the Western Ghats. Birds have been seen at high altitudes during migration across the Himalayas and was recorded at about 6400 m by the first Mount Everest Expedition.
In what was long thought to be a defensive posture, Hoopoes sunbathe by spreading out their wings and tail low against the ground and tilting their head up; they often fold their wings and preen halfway through. The Hoopoe also enjoys taking dust and sand baths.
The diet of the Hoopoe is mostly composed of insects, although small reptilesfrogs and plant matter such as seeds and berries are sometimes taken as well. It is a solitary forager which typically feeds on the ground. More rarely they will feed in the air, in pursuit of numerous swarming insects, where their strong and rounded wings make them fast and manoeuvrable. More commonly their foraging style is to stride on relatively open ground and periodically pause to probe the ground with the full length of their bill. Insect larvae, pupae and mole crickets are detected by the bill and either extracted or dug out with the strong feet. In addition to feeding in soil Hoopoes will feed on insects on the surface, as well as probing into piles of leaves and even using the bill to lever large stones and flake off bark. Common diet items include cricketslocustsbeetlesearwigscicadasant lionsbugs and ants. These can range from 10 to 150 mm in length, with the preferred size of prey being around 20–30 mm. Larger prey items are beaten against the ground or a preferred stone in order to kill them and remove indigestible body parts such as wings and legs
The Hoopoe is monogamous, although the pair bond apparently only lasts for a single season. They are also territorial, with the male calling frequently to advertise his ownership of the territory. Chases and fights between rival males (and sometimes females) are common and can be brutal. Birds will try to stab rivals with their bills, and individuals are occasionally blinded in fights. The nest is in a hole in a tree or wall, with a narrow entrance; it may be unlined or various scraps may be collected. The female alone is responsible for incubating the eggs. Clutch size varies with location, with northern hemisphere birds laying more eggs than those in the southern hemisphere and birds in higher latitudes having larger clutches than those closer to the equator. In central and northern Europe and Asia the clutch size is around 12, whereas it is between four in the tropics and seven in the subtropics. The eggs are round and milky blue on laying but quickly discolour in the increasingly dirty nest. They weigh 4.5 grams. A replacement clutch is possible.
The Hoopoes have well-developed anti-predator defences in the nest. The uropygial gland of the incubating and brooding female is quickly modified to produce a foul-smelling liquid, and the glands of nestlings do so as well. These secretions are rubbed into the plumage. The secretion, which smells like rotting meat, is thought to help deter predators, as well as deter parasites and possibly act as an antibacterial agent. The secretions stop soon before the young leave the nest. In addition to this secretion nestlings are able to direct streams of faeces at nest intruders from the age of six days, and will also hiss at intruders in a snake like fashion. The young also strike with their bill or with one wing.
The incubation period for the species is between 15 and 18 days. During incubation the female is fed by the male. The incubation period begins as soon as the first egg is laid, so the chicks are born asynchronously. The chicks hatch with a covering of downy feathers, by around day three to five feather quills emerge which become adult feathers. The chicks are brooded by the female for between 9 to 14 days. The female later joins the male in the task of bringing food. The young fledge in 26 to 29 days and remain with the parents for about a week.
The diet of the Hoopoe includes many species considered to be pests by humans; for example the pupae of the processionary moth, a damaging forest pest. For this reason the species is afforded protection under the law in many countries.
Hoopoes are distinctive birds and have made a cultural impact over much of their range. They were considered sacred in Ancient Egypt, so they were "depicted on the walls of tombs and temples". They achieved a similar standing in Minoan Crete.
In the BibleLeviticus 11:13–19, hoopoes were listed among the animals that are detestable and should not be eaten. They are also listed in Deuteronomy (14:18) as not kosher.
Hoopoes also appear in the Quran in Surah Al-Naml 27:20–22 in the following context "And he Solomon sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent? (20) I verily will punish him with hard punishment or I verily will slay him, or he verily shall bring me a plain excuse. (21) But he [the Hoopoe] was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings."
Hoopoes were seen as a symbol of virtue in Persia. A hoopoe was the leader of the birds in the Persian book of poems The Conference of the Birds.
They were thought of as thieves across much of Europe and harbingers of war in Scandinavia. Also, in Estonian tradition the Hoopoes are strongly connected with death and the underworld, their song is seen as a forebode of death for many a people or cattle.
The Hoopoe is the king of the birds in the Ancient Greek comedy The Birds by Aristophanes. In Ovid's Metamorphoses, book 6, King Tereus of Thrace, married to Procne, rapes his wife's sister, Philomela and cuts out her tongue. In revenge, Procne kills their son Itys and serves him as a stew to his father. When Tereus sees the boy's head, which is served on a platter, he grabs a sword but just as he attempts to kill the sisters, they are turned into birds—Procne into a swallow and Philomela into a nightingale. Tereus himself is turned into an epops (6.674), translated as lapwing by Dryden and lappewincke (lappewinge) by John Gower in his Confessio Amantis, or hoopoe, in A.S. Kline's translation. The bird's crest indicates his royal status and his long, sharp beak is a symbol of his violent nature. English translators and poets probably had the Northern lapwing in mind, considering its crest.
The Hoopoe was chosen as the national bird of Israel in May 2008 in conjunction with the country's 60th anniversary, following a national survey of 155,000 citizens, outpolling the White-spectacled Bulbul.[not in citation given] It is also the state-bird of Punjab province of India. The Hoopoe appears on the Logo of the University of Johannesburg, and is the official mascot of the University's sports. The municipality of Armstedt, Germany has a hoopoe in its coat of arms.

Taxonomy and systematics[edit]


lørdag 19. mai 2012

Cygnus cygnus 'Sangsvane' Whooper Swan

Sangsvane

Beskrivelse

Voksne sangsvaner har en helt hvit fjærdrakt og blir normalt omkring 140–160 cm lange. Vingespennet er cirka 205–235 cm og vekten 8–15 kg. Det er ikke lett å se forskjell på kjønnene. Ungfuglene har grå fjærdrakt og lyserødt nebb. Både når de flyr og svømmer kan sangsvanene gi fra seg kraftige trompetaktige lyder. Sangsvanene skilles fra knoppsvanene på det gule nebbet og en rettere hals.

Adferd



Sangsvanene lever nesten utelukkende av vannplanter. De beiter mest på bunnplanter og foretrekker grunne innsjøer med mye vegetasjon, gjerne mindre vann i skoglandskap.

De hekker på Island og i de arktiske delene av Skandinavia og Russland. I Norge hekker de helst i Finnmark og Troms, men enkelte hekkende par har blitt observert så langt sør som i Østfold. Hekkingen foregår i myrer og sumpområder, helst ved åpent vann. Sangsvanene er svært sky i hekketiden. Begge kjønnene bygger reiret, som ofte blir benyttet flere år på rad. Hekkingen begynner i april eller mai. Hunnen legger 4 til 6 egg som ruges i 30 dager før de klekkes.

Utover høsten blir de ofte værende på hekkeplassen til isen legger seg hvoretter de trekker sørover. Vestvågøy i Lofoten har en vinterbestand som varierer fra 110-200 individer, men hovedsakelig trekker de ned langs kysten av Sør-Skandinavia, Danmark og Nord-Tyskland. Bestanden som hekker på Island overvintrer på de britiske øyer. De overvintrer enten i isfrie innsjøer og elver eller i lune saltvannsbukter med god bunnvegetasjon.

I Norge er bestanden av sangsvaner mange ganger større under overvintringen enn den er i hekkeperioden. Så snart isen går vender fuglene tilbake til hekkeområdene. Det overvintrer blant annet sangsvaner i Nordre Tyrifjorden våtmarkssystem i Buskerud. Vinteren 2007/2008 var bestanden der nesten dobbelt så stor som i 2006/2007.
Sangsvane er en av tre svanearter som lever i Norge. De to andre artene er knoppsvane og dvergsvane.
Fra Wikipedia, den frie encyklopedi

Whooper Swan


Description


The Whooper Swan is similar in appearance to the Bewick's Swan. However, it is larger, at a length of 140–165 cm (55–65 in) and a wingspan of 205–275 centimetres (81–108 in). Weight typically is in the range of 7.4–14 kilograms (16–31 lb), with an average of 9.8–11 kg (22–24 lb) for males and 8.2–9.2 kg (18–20 lb) for females. The verified record mass was 15.5 kg (34 lb) for a wintering male from Denmark. It is considered to amongst the heaviest flying birds. It has a more angular head shape and a more variable bill pattern that always shows more yellow than black (Bewick's Swans have more black than yellow).

Distribution and behaviour



Whooper swans require large areas of water to live in, especially when they are still growing, because their body weight cannot be supported by their legs for extended periods of time. The whooper swan spends much of its time swimming, straining the water for food, or eating plants that grow on the bottom.

Whooper swans have a deep honking call and, despite their size, are powerful fliers. Whooper swans can migrate many hundreds of miles to their wintering sites in northern Europe and eastern Asia. They breed in subarctic Eurasia, further south than Bewicks in the taiga zone. They are rare breeders in northern Scotland, particularly in Orkney, and no more than five pairs have bred there in recent years. This bird is an occasional vagrant to western North America. Icelandic breeders overwinter in the United Kingdom and Ireland, especially in the wildfowl nature reserves of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

Whooper swans pair for life, and their cygnets stay with them all winter; they are sometimes joined by offspring from previous years. Their preferred breeding habitat is wetland, but semi-domesticated birds will build a nest anywhere close to water. Both the male and female help build the nest, and the male will stand guard over the nest while the female incubates. The female will usually lay 4-7 eggs (exceptionally 12). The cygnets hatch after about 36 days and have a grey or brown plumage. The cygnets can fly at an age of 120 to 150 days.

Influence



Whooper Swans are much admired in Europe. The Whooper Swan is the national bird of Finland and is featured on the Finnish 1 euro coin. The Whooper Swan is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

The global spread of H5N1 reached the UK in April 2006 in the form of a dead Whooper Swan found in Scotland.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Passer moabiticus 'Dead Sea Sparrow'

Dead Sea Sparrow

The Dead Sea Sparrow (Passer moabiticus), as its name suggests, is a breeding bird around the River Jordan, Dead Sea, and into Iraq, Iran and western Afghanistan. Breeding recorded in Cyprus (1981/1982) but is probably extinct there now. It is migratory or dispersive, although the regular wintering grounds of this nomadic species are largely unknown, except that the eastern race winters in Pakistan. Flocks of the nominate western race have been found in winter further south in the Middle East.
It is a small 12–13 cm long sparrow which breeds in dry lowlands with some shrubs, including tamarisk, and access to water. It builds a nest in a tree, and 4-7 eggs are laid.
The male Dead Sea Sparrow has a grey crown, rear neck and cheeks, and a small black bib. It has a pale supercilium shading to buff at the rear, and yellow neck sides. The upperparts are dark-streaked reddish brown, and the underparts are grey-white.
The female is like a small House Sparrow, with a streaked brown back, greyish head and buff-white underparts. She is paler and smaller billed than her relative, and sometimes shows yellow on the neck sides.
The eastern race P. m. yatii is sandier, and the male has a yellow wash to the underparts.
This species feeds principally on seeds, like other sparrows. The chirping song resembles those of House and Spanish Sparrows, but is weaker. The flight call is a high-pitched chi-wit. This species is often silent.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

søndag 8. april 2012

Larus ridibundus 'Hettemåke' Blackheaded Gull

Hettemåke

Hettemåke eller lattermåse (Larus ridibundus) er en av de vanligste måkene, men i Norge er arten i tilbakegang og blir nå oppført som nær truet på Nasjonal rødliste. Hettemåke ble valgt til Årets Fugl i 2011 av Norsk Ornitologisk Forening.
Kjennetegn
De voksne fuglene har grå overside, mens resten av kroppen er hvit. Føttene er røde og med svømmehud mellom tærne. Nebbet er også rødt og sammen med den hvite stripa i fremkant av vingene, er karakteristisk for hettemåken. De har store spisse vinger og flyter lett. Både hann- og hunnfugler er like. Ungfugl har en mer brunspettet fjærdrakt. Hettemåken er 36 cm lang og har vekt på om lag 300 gram. I sommerdrakten har hettemåken sin karakteristiske svarte hette. Den har et vingespenn på ca. 95–105 cm.
Hekking
Hettemåken hekker i kolonier ved sjøen og ferskvann. De aller fleste hettemåkene trekker sørover om vinteren, mange til Vest-Europa, enkelte helt til Nord-Afrika.
Utbredelse
Hettemåken har en minskende bestand. Den eksisterer i kyststrøk og i innlandet nær vann helt nord til Varangerfjorden. Hovedbestanden er likevel i Sør-Norge rundt Oslofjorden.
Fra Wikipedia, den frie encyklopedi


Larus ridibundus 'Hettemåke' Blackheaded Gull, Tiberius, Sea of Galilee, Israel 22.12.2010


Black-headed Gull

The Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is a small gull which breeds in much of Europe and Asia, and also in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory, wintering further south, but some birds in the milder westernmost areas of Europe are resident. Some birds will also spend the winter in northeastern North America, where it was formerly known as the Common Black-headed Gull. As is the case with many gulls, it had previously been placed in the genus Larus.

This gull is 38–44 cm (15-17½ in) long with a 94–105 cm (37–41 in) wingspan. In flight, the white leading edge to the wing is a good field mark. The summer adult has a chocolate-brown head (not black, despite the name), pale grey body, black tips to the primary wing feathers, and red bill and legs. The hood is lost in winter, leaving just dark vertical streaks. This is a noisy species, especially in colonies, with a familiar "kree-ar" call. Its scientific name means "laughing gull".

It breeds in colonies in large reedbeds or marshes, or on islands in lakes, nesting on the ground. Like most gulls, it is highly gregarious in winter, both when feeding or in evening roosts. It is not a pelagic species and is rarely seen at sea far from coasts.
The Black-headed Gull is a bold and opportunist feeder and will eat insects, fish, seeds, worms, scraps and carrion in towns, or take invertebrates in ploughed fields with equal relish.
This species takes two years to reach maturity. First-year birds have a black terminal tail band, more dark areas in the wings, and, in summer, a less fully developed dark hood. Like most gulls, Black-headed Gulls are long-lived birds, with a maximum age of 63 years recorded in the wild.
Uses
The eggs of the black headed gull are considered a delicacy by some in the UK and are eaten hard boiled.
Australian discovery
In the 1990s, local Broome birder Brian Kane saw a strange species of bird while trawling the local sewer ponds. Upon seeing this bird, he called one of his many bird-watcher friends to verify the species, who confirmed that it was indeed a Black-headed Gull that Brian had stumbled across. This was the first recorded sighting of the species in Australia.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Procavia capensis syriaca 'Syrisk Klippegrevling' Syrian Rock Hyrax

Klippegrevlinger

Klippegrevlinger er en liten pattedyrgruppe som er i nær slekt med elefanter og sjøkyr. I motsetning til disse to gruppene er klippegrevlingene forholdsvis små, rundt 30 til 50 cm, og ligner litt på gnagere.
Når de beiter, benytter de hovedsakelig jekslene, en lite effektiv metode sammenlignet med hva vi finner hos mer moderne hovdyr og gangere. Deres metabolisme er lav, og de klarer seg dermed med fhv. lite næring. Fremre del av kjeven har tenner som minner og kraftige huggtenner, og som i øvre kjevehalvdel vokser hele livet. Disse antas å være rudimentære støttenner.
Hodet, ørene, bena og halen er korte og kompakte. De har hover på den første og tredje tåa av bakbeina. På grunn av spesielt myke «puter» under føttene, som sammen med muskler og svettekjertler fungerer som sugekopper, er de glimrende klatrere.
De fleste artene lever i klipper og fjell, men noen arter er også nattaktive trebeboere (tregrevlinger, Dendrohyrax).
Øynenes blinkhinne er modifisert til å fungere som «solbriller», så de kan holde utkikk etter rovfugler selv i sterkt solskinn.
Dagens arter er siste rest av en gruppe dyr som en gang utviste langt større variasjon i henhold til både form og størrelse. Det fantes kjemper så store som neshorn og langbeinte arter tilpasset løping. Nåtidens arter har mer eller mindre trukket seg tilbake til leveområder hvor det er liten konkurranse om ressursene klippegrevlingene er avhengige av.
Klippegrevlinger i Bibelen
Ifølge Loven om rene og urene dyr i Bibelens Tredje mosebok kapittel 11 vers 1-40 må ikke klippegrevlinger spises: «Herren talte til Moses og Aron og sa til dem: (...) 4 Av drøvtyggere og klovdyr er det bare disse dere ikke må spise: (...) 5 og klippegrevlingen, for den tygger drøv, men har ikke klover; den skal dere holde for uren; (...) 40 Den som spiser av dyret, skal vaske sine klær, og han er uren til kvelden.»

Fra Wikipedia, den frie encyklopedi

 Procavia capensis syriaca 'Syrisk klippegrevling' Kapernaum, Israel 21.12.2010
Procavia capensis syriaca 'Syrian Rock Hyrax' Capernaum, Israel 21.12.2010


Rock hyrax

The rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) or Cape hyrax, is one of the four living species of the order Hyracoidea, and the only living species in the genusProcavia. Like all hyraxes, it is a medium-sized (~4 kg) terrestrial mammal, superficially resembling a guinea pig with short ears and tail. The closest living relatives to hyraxes are the modern day elephants and sirenians. The rock hyrax is found across Africa and the Middle East, in habitats with rock crevices in which to escape from predators. Hyraxes typically live in groups of 10–80 animals, and forage as a group. Their most striking behaviour is the use of sentries: one or more animals take up position on a vantage point and issue alarm calls on the approach of predators.
The rock hyrax has incomplete thermoregulation, and is most active in the morning and evening, although their activity pattern varies substantially with season and climate.
Over most of its range, the rock hyrax is not endangered, and in some areas is considered a minor pest. In Ethiopia, Israel and Jordan, they have been shown to be a reservoir of the leishmaniasis parasite.
Characteristics

The rock hyrax is squat and heavily built, adults reaching a length of 50 cm (20 in) and weighing around 4 kg (8.8 lb), with a slight sexual dimorphism; males being approximately 10% heavier than females. Their fur is thick and grey-brown color, although this varies strongly between different environments; from dark brown in wetter habitats, to light gray in desert living individuals. Hyrax size (as measured by skull length and humerus diameter) is correlated to precipitation, probably because of the effect on preferred hyrax forage.
Prominent in and apparently unique to hyraxes is the dorsal gland, which excretes an odour used for social communication and territorial marking. The gland is most clearly visible in dominant males.

The head of the rock hyrax is pointed, having a short neck with rounded ears. They have long black whiskers on their muzzles. The rock hyrax has a prominent pair of long, pointed tusk-like upper incisors which are reminiscent of the elephant, to which the hyrax is distantly related (see below). The forefeet are plantigrade, and the hindfeet semi-digitigrade. The soles of the feet have large, soft pads that are kept moist with sweat-like secretions. In males, the testes are permanently abdominal, another anatomical feature that hyraxes share with their relatives elephants and sirenians.

Thermoregulation in the rock hyrax has been subject to much research, as their body temperature varies with a diurnal rhythm. However, animals kept in constant environmental conditions also display such variation and this internal mechanism may be related to water balance regulation.

Distribution

The rock hyrax occurs across sub-Saharan Africa, with the exception of the Congo basin and Madagascar. A larger, longer-haired subspecies is abundant in the glacial moraines in the alpine zone of Mount Kenya. The distribution continues into northern Algeria, Libya and Egypt, and the Middle East, with populations in Israel, Jordan, Syria, the Arabian peninsula and eastern Turkey.

Ecology and behaviour

Hyraxes live in herds of up to 80 individuals. These herds are subdivided into smaller flocks consisting of a few families. These families consist of 3 to 15 related adult females, a dominant male, and several young. The dominant male defends and watches over the group. The male also marks its territory to avoid any altercations.
In Africa, hyraxes are preyed on by leopardsEgyptian cobraspuff adderscaracalswild dogs, and eagles. Verreaux's Eagle in particular is a specialist hunter of hyrax. In Israel, the rock hyrax is reportedly rarely preyed upon by terrestrial predators, as their system of sentries and their reliable refuges provide considerable protection. Hyrax remains are almost absent from the droppings of wolves in the Judean Desert.

Feeding and foraging

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.

Reproduction

Rock hyraxes give birth to two or three young after a 6–7 month gestation period. The young are well developed at birth with fully opened eyes and complete pelage. Young can ingest solid food after two weeks and are weaned at ten weeks. Young are sexually mature after 16 months, reach adult size at three years, and typically live about ten years. During seasonal changes, the weight of male reproduction organs (testis, seminal vesicles) changes due to sexual activity. Hyraxes were examined and it was found that between May and January, the males were inactive sexually. From February onward, there was a dramatic increase to the weight of these organs, and the males are able to copulate.

Social behaviour

Rock hyraxes are very noisy and sociable. Adults make use of at least 21 different vocal signals. The most familiar signal is a high trill, and is given in response to perceived danger. Rock hyrax calls are referred to as “songs.” Hyrax songs can provide important biological information such as size, age, social status, body weight, condition, and hormonal state of the singer, as determined by measuring their song length, patterns, complexity, and frequency.

The rock hyrax also makes a loud grunting sound while moving its jaws as if chewing, and this behaviour may be a sign of aggression. Some authors have proposed that observation of this behavior by ancient Israelites gave rise to the misconception given in Leviticus 11:4-8 that the hyrax chews the cud; in fact, hyraxes are not ruminants.

The rock hyrax spends approximately 95% of its time resting. During this time, they can often be seen basking in the sun, which is thought to be an element of their complex thermoregulation.

Dispersal

Males have been categorised into four classes: territorial, peripheral, early, and late dispersers. The territorial males are the most dominant. Peripheral males are more solitary and sometimes take over a group when the dominant male is missing. Early peripheral males are juveniles that leave the birth site around 16 to 24 months of age. Late dispersers are also juvenile males, but they leave the birth site much later; around 30 or more months of age.

Names

They are known as dassies in South Africa, and sometimes rock rabbits. The Swahili names for them are pimbipelele and wibari, though the latter two names are nowadays reserved for the tree hyraxes. The Dutch name is klipdas. This species has many subspecies, many of which are also known as Rock or Cape Hyrax, although the former usually refers to African varieties. In Arabic, the rock hyrax is called الوبر ("wabr") or طبسون ("tabsoun"). In Hebrew, the rock hyrax is called שפן סלע (shafan sela), meaning rock "shafan", where the meaning of shafan is obscure. Gerald Durrell wrote that in Bafut, in Cameroon, the locals call the rock hyrax the n'eer.

Pharmaceutical use

Rock Hyraxes produce large quantities of hyraceum—a sticky mass of dung and urine that has been employed by people in the treatment of several medical disorders, including epilepsy and convulsions. Hyraceum is now being "rediscovered" by intrepid perfumers who tincture it in alcohol to yield a natural animal musk.

Culture

Rock Hyraxes are classified as non-kosher in the Old Testament/Jewish Torah. Nonetheless, they are also included in Proverbs 30:26 as one of a number of remarkable animals for being small but exceedingly wise, in this case because "the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs".

In Joy Adamson's books and the associated movie Born Free, a rock hyrax that she called Pati-Pati was her companion for six years before Elsa and her siblings came along and took the role of nanny and watched over them with great care.

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