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The rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) is a mammal inhabiting most of Africa and the Middle East. They are often seen as vermin and are hunted for their pelt, meat, and even for traditional medicines. On a game hunting safari, these are often hunted but are not a sought-after trophy when hunting in Africa.
Dassies, as they are often referred to in South Africa, live in crevices in rocky outcrops, making their homes in deserts, savannas, and shrublands. During your game hunting safari, you might often see dassies sunning themselves on a rocky outcrop during the day. They are quite lazy, spending hours relaxing in the sun, which makes them an easy target when game hunting in Africa.
Rock hyraxes are mostly herbivorous, consuming a range of food, including grass, herbs, stems, and the bark of certain plant species as well as leaves and fruits, but do also eat insects, lizards, and bird eggs. Their diet consists of many water-rich plants and succulents, resulting in them being able to stay without water for long periods.
These mammals live together in groups of up to 50, consisting of a dominant male along with about 20 females and their young. The rock hyrax gestates for between 7-8 months after which 1-4 offspring are born. The young are born fully developed and already start to eat vegetation within days of their birth. They are active and up and about within hours of their birth, which is just as well considering how many predators want to make a meal of them!
They are prey for many larger animals, such as hyenas, lions, leopards, jackals, large birds of prey, servals, and pythons.
Their conservation status is listed as “least concern” by the IUCN.
Name:
Procavia capensis
Male Weight:
3-14 pounds
Male Shoulder Height:
8-12 inches
Range:
Throughout Africa and the Middle East
Gestation Period:
7-8 months
Life span:
Approximately 5 years
Pursuing the Dassie
When hunting in Africa, you will normally come across these small mammals purely by chance as they sit sunning themselves on rocky outcrops. Rock hyraxes look almost like a large guinea pig, with small, rounded ears, a long body, and no tail. They have short, stocky, stout legs with padded feet. Dassies range from a yellow-gray to a brown-gray color, with a light underbelly. They have a short snout with long gray whiskers. They have large, strong teeth that assist in chewing the rough plant material which they consume.
An ambush hunting technique is used to target this filler species. Although not a main target species, the dassie allows the hunter some excitement on a hunting adventure. Simply find a spot and get comfortable…although they might have disappeared when you came closer, they will appear again, allowing you to take a shot.
The challenge when on a rock hyrax hunting adventure is not to scare the little mammal into hiding upon your approach. They are quite anxious, always on the lookout for danger, and very alert to predators and threats. Although not your normal game hunting trophy, the dassie provides a unique trophy should you decide to add it to your trophy room. Be aware of shot placement should you wish to do so.
When rock hyrax hunting in Africa, an air gun or .22 rim fire is generally used to target the species during a game hunting safari. Alternatively, use a large caliber rifle with a non-expanding monolithic bullet.
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