Procavia capensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	HYRACOIDEA	PROCAVIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Procavia capensis

Species Authority:

(Pallas, 1766)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Rock Hyrax, Rock Dassie
French	–	Daman De Rocher

Synonym/s:

Heterohyrax antineae Heim de Balsac & Bégouen, 1932

Taxonomic Notes:

This taxon is sometimes split into several separate species, including Cape Hyrax P. capensis, Abyssinian Hyrax P. habessinica, Johnston’s Hyrax P. johnstoni, and Western Hyrax P. ruficeps (Hahn 1934, Kingdon 1971). It is here regarded as monotypic, following more recent classifications (Schlitter 1993, Shoshani 2005, Hoeck and Bloomer in press).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Barry, R., Bloomer, P., Hoeck, H. & Shoshani, H. (IUCN SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group)

Evaluator/s:

Rathbun, G. (Afrotheria Red List Authority) & Hoffmann, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, its occurrence in a number of protected areas, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

History:

2006	–	Least Concern (IUCN 2006)
1996	–	Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The species is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa and north-east Africa, being discontunously distributed from Senegal through southern Algeria (isolated population), Libya and Egypt (east of the Nile R.) to central and southern Africa (excluding the Congo Basin forests) (Olds and Shoshani 1982; Hoeck and Bloomer in press). They also extend to the Arabian Peninsula, mainly in the west, and to Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel (Olds and Shoshani 1982; Harrison and Bates 1991; Shoshani 2005). Reports of the occurrence of this species in Turkey are in error, and there is no evidence for its current or historical occurrence in this country (Kryštufek and Vohralík 2001). Its occurrence in Syria also has not been confirmed (D. Kock pers. comm.).
Countries:	Native: Algeria; Angola; Benin; Botswana; Cameroon; Chad; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Egypt; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Israel; Jordan; Kenya; Lebanon; Lesotho; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Mauritania; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Oman; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Somalia; South Africa; Sudan; Swaziland; Tanzania, United Republic of; Togo; Uganda; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe Presence uncertain: Mali; Syrian Arab Republic
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Widespread and abundant in drier rocky areas of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. In some areas, such as in Matopos in Zimbabwe and the Serengeti of Tanzania (where they have been well studied) they are characterised by extreme local population fluctuations (Hoeck and Bloomer in press). On Mount Kenya, where they are considered among the most conspicuous of mammals, average density has been estimated at between 20 and 100 animals per km² (Young and Evans 1993).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

Widespread and abundant in drier rocky areas of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. In some areas, such as in Matopos in Zimbabwe and the Serengeti of Tanzania (where they have been well studied) they are characterised by extreme local population fluctuations (Hoeck and Bloomer in press). On Mount Kenya, where they are considered among the most conspicuous of mammals, average density has been estimated at between 20 and 100 animals per km² (Young and Evans 1993).

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Rock Hyraxes occupy a wide range of habitats, from arid deserts to rainforest, occurring from sea level to 4,300 m on Mount Kenya; they are typically associated with rocky outcrops, cliffs or boulders (Hoeck and Bloomer in press). They often occur in association with Bush Hyrax Heterohyrax brucei (Hoeck 1975; Barry and Mundy 1988). The diet comprises a variety of grasses, forbs and shrubs, with a predilection for new shoots, buds, fruits and berries (Hoeck and Bloomer in press). A comprehensive review of biology and literature is found in Olds and Shoshani (1982) and Hoeck and Bloomer (in press).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Rock Hyraxes occupy a wide range of habitats, from arid deserts to rainforest, occurring from sea level to 4,300 m on Mount Kenya; they are typically associated with rocky outcrops, cliffs or boulders (Hoeck and Bloomer in press). They often occur in association with Bush Hyrax Heterohyrax brucei (Hoeck 1975; Barry and Mundy 1988). The diet comprises a variety of grasses, forbs and shrubs, with a predilection for new shoots, buds, fruits and berries (Hoeck and Bloomer in press). A comprehensive review of biology and literature is found in Olds and Shoshani (1982) and Hoeck and Bloomer (in press).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats to this species. However, it is hunted locally, and may have been extirpated in some smaller localities. In Israel, where the species is protected by law and has few natural enemies, their numbers have grown in cultivated areas resulting in damage to crops and necessitating effective control measures being put in place (e.g., electric fences) (Mendelssogn and Yom-Tov 1999).

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to this species. However, it is hunted locally, and may have been extirpated in some smaller localities. In Israel, where the species is protected by law and has few natural enemies, their numbers have grown in cultivated areas resulting in damage to crops and necessitating effective control measures being put in
place (e.g., electric fences) (Mendelssogn and Yom-Tov 1999).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The species occurs in many protected areas across its range.

Conservation Actions:

The species occurs in many protected areas across its range.

Citation:	Barry, R., Bloomer, P., Hoeck, H. & Shoshani, H. 2008. Procavia capensis. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 January 2009.
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