#Bush Hyrax

[inatungulates]

Bush hyrax Heterohyrax brucei

Observed by pieterkotze, CC BY-NC

[aticketplz]

全員かわいすぎて大人なのか子どもなのかよくわからなかった…

この子はたぶん子ども…？

@埼玉県こども動物自然公園

They're all so cute, I can't tell who's an adult and who's a kid.

Perhaps this hyrax is a child....

@Saitama children's Zoo Park

[mutant-distraction]

"Appearances can be deceiving. 👀 Though it may look like a close relative of rabbits or mice, the bush hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei) is actually more closely related to manatees and elephants! All three animals are members of the clade Paenungulata. And just as in elephants, the hyrax’s front incisors grow continuously to form tusks. Unlike its larger cousins, this small mammal only weighs about 10 lbs (4.5 kg). It inhabits rocky areas, and can be found in parts of Africa including Egypt and Angola."

Photo: Anita Gould, CC BY-NC 2.0, flickr

credit: American Museum of Natural History

[thatswhywelovegermany]

The Easter Bunny / Easter Hare

In German Easter tradition, the Easter Bunny is an imaginary rabbit or hare who paints eggs at Easter and hides them in the garden. Children search for Easter eggs on the morning of Easter Sunday. The motif of the Easter Bunny has recently spread in the popular culture of Easter, also through its commercial use, and has largely replaced earlier bringers of the Easter egg.

As far as is known, the Easter Bunny was first mentioned in the dissertation of the Frankfurt doctor Johannes Richier, who received his doctorate in 1682 under the respected Heidelberg professor of medicine Georg Franck von Franckenau with his treatise "De ovis paschalibus - von Oster-Eyern". The son of the pastor Jean Richier, who had fled France for religious reasons, describes a custom in Upper Germany, the Palatinate, Alsace and neighbouring regions, as well as Westphalia, according to which an Easter Bunny lays the eggs (ova excludere) and hides them in gardens in the grass, bushes, etc., where they are eagerly searched for by children amid laughter and to the amusement of the adults (cum risu et iucunditate seniorum). He calls the Easter Bunny hiding the eggs “a fable that is told to simpletons and children” (fabula, que simplicioribus et infantibus imponunt).

According to cultural studies, the reason for the strong upswing that belief in the Easter Bunny experienced in the 19th century can be found in the industrial production of cheap beet sugar, which made the production of affordable chocolate bunnies and eggs possible in the first place.

The connection between the Christian Easter festival and the egg as a symbol has been known in various European countries since the Middle Ages at the latest, and may even date back to earlier. There is also an older interpretation of the rabbit as a symbol of resurrection since Ambrose. The diverse Christian symbolism of the rabbit found expression in many works of art in the Middle Ages, see Rabbit in art. The connection between the rabbit and the Easter egg tradition is still unclear, however, even if the fertility of rabbits in itself has a close connection to spring. The following hypotheses are often put forward:

Some early painted Easter eggs show the three-hare image, a depiction of three hares with only three ears in total, but each hare having two ears due to the "double use" of ears; this is a well-known symbol for the Holy Trinity. It is possible that this depiction may have given rise to the idea of ​​the hare as an egg supplier.

In one passage in the Bible, Psalm 104:18, older translations speak of "hares". The reason for this was the Latin translation of Proverbs 30:26, in which Jerome translated the Hebrew "schafan" (rock hyrax) as "lepusculus" (hare). Since late antiquity, this passage has been interpreted as a symbol for the weak human (hare) who seeks refuge in the rock (Christ). This interpretation established the symbolism of the hare in Christian iconography.

It is widely considered harmless to tell young children that the Easter Bunny brings eggs and sweets for Easter. Psychologists believe that this illusion stimulates the imagination and supports cognitive development. However, children's critical questions and doubts should be supported so that their belief in the Bunny eventually disappears by itself, also through interaction with other children.

The Easter Bunny was spread outside of Europe by German-speaking emigrants. It has gained a certain popularity in the USA in particular. In English, the term "Easter Bunny" predominates over the literal translation "Easter Hare", so the figure is often understood to be a rabbit.

In Australia, the "Easter Bilby" has been placed alongside the "Easter Bunny" since the 1970s. The aim is to draw attention to the endangered species of the greater burrowing bandicoot ("Bilby"), not least due to the spread of European rabbits, and to raise money for a conservation fund by selling chocolate bilbies.

[c-casu]

As it’s been happening for the last 15-20 million years the planet has been slowly cooling down, and now, 30 million years after the Anthropocene mass extinction, it has finally reached a point when it can be defined as in a true ice age, and now we have reached the Campleocene epoch.

In the heart of Eurasia, extending all the way back in North America, an environment resembling the Pleistocene mammoth steppe has started to flourish again in the glaciers’ shadow, inhabited by vast herds of herbivores, whose grazing and stomping, along with the high aridity of the biome, didn’t allow for many plant taller than a bush, with only a few isolated trees scattered across the plains. This environment, the borroth steppe, named after one of its most charismatic inhabitants, hosts an incredible biodiversity in both fauna and flora, helped by the mountain ranges, the Altai, the Pyrenees, the Carpathians, … , and the patches of forest that fracture it and result in plentiful reproductive barriers.

The most common grazers across these plains are lagomorphs and even-toed ungulates. Heers (the deer like descendants of Eurasian hares) , and to a lesser extent jackalopes (similar to the former but more browsing and horned), more common in forests. They travel in small gender-specific bands, ten to twenty individuals at most.

The even-toed ungulates that inhabit these steppes are quite varied in niche and size, going from animals reaching a ton in weight to lanky 20 kilos runners. Most of them come from African ancestors, descended from grysboks or dik-diks, although there’s many Eurasian locals too, with saiga descendants, Saiginae, now having become almost llama or camel like and are a common sight from Spain to British Columbia, and feral goats descendants, previously only found on mountains, now having come down to the lowlands thanks to a more favourable climate for them.

The smaller mammals populating the steppe are mostly rodents and lagomorphs, relatively unchanged from the Holocene, with lemmings, voles, mice and hares being quite common, and the only real addition being ratjacks (Rattopus descendants), jumping rats that like goats came down from the mountains thanks to the change in climate.

There’s a wide variety of birds inhabiting these plains. Other than passerines the most common birds are fowl, both gamefowl and waterfowl, along with cranes, who are most common around marshes around the borroth steppe, but were able to exploit the variety of low growing plants and expand into it.

Some of the largest herbivores of these lands are giant hyraxes, part of yet another lineage originating in the mountains, who now sport on their snout a pair of, usually straight, horns that they use to fight amongst themselves. Weirdly enough, even though they live in a grass rich environment, most species in this lineage seem to prefer eudicot plants, with many being functionally browsers of low bushes

The largest animals here, though are the borroths, holophants part of the tribe Borrothini, there’s currently five species of them, two mountain ones, the Himalayas (Cryoborrothus orientalis) and Caucasian borroths (Plioborrothus pygmaeus), and three steppe ones, the Mediterranean (Euborrothus meridionalis), Common (E. vulgaris) and Beringian borroths (E. cryophilus).

They’re extremely generalist herbivores that are willing to eat most plants they encounter, grass, bushes, trees, moss, lichens, etc… , though, similarly to their ancestors they prefer the carbohydrate and lipid rich foods, like tubers and berries. Another similarity to their suilline ancestors is their social structure, as sows and farrows live in close knit family groups, while males live in bachelor groups, though they tend to part ways as they age, especially during breeding season, as they become extremely territorial, especially in resource rich areas, in order to attract female herds.

[luckyshouse]

official animal list

greater and lesser anteaters

rock hyrax

aardvarks

pangolins

armadillos

goats

okepi

donkeys

bush dogs

pigeons

hares and rabbits

[worldclassmenageriie-moving]

Nyota didnt see too much harm in taking her young cubs for a walk near hakuna matata falls since it was on the edge of the pridelands territory--they'd already started getting their spots on their shoulders and they werent too far from the spare den. "You three stay together, and stay close enough to hear me!" She called as she laid on the ridge to keep an eye on the cubs. "We will momma!" Ngozi, the biggest of the three young cubs called, tail wagging rapidly as they ran down the path to play in the nearby shrubbery. Followed closely by her two siblings, giggling and snapping playfully at eachother.

Bahati was the one who noticed the smell of a strange animal, giggling and stamping his paws. "Hey hey! Ngozi! Ngozi! Yazid look! I found---uh..a thing!" He nodded toward the meerkat tracks.

The older two cubs gathered to sniff and investigate the tracks curiosely. "Is it from.....a hyrax?" Yazid asked, looking at their sister.

"Mmmm...I dunno! Lets look!" She giggled, romping off through the bushes to find the creature that made the tracks.

@musemelodies

[lost-lycaon]

On land, the Western Cape is arid with poor soil quality that is a harsh windswept ecosystem. This supports fewer large mammals than the savanna biome to the east, including Rock Hyrax, Klipspringer, and Ostrich with rare sightings of Leopard. The inhospitable climate has led plant adaptations that create tough and resilient vegetation that uses frequent veld fires to activate seeds. The Fynbos, Afrikaans for ‘fine bush’, is a unique Floral Kingdom that has greater plant diversity than any rainforest. The Fynbos includes Proteas (woody plants with large showy flowers), Ericas (delicate heath with small flowers), Restios (reed-like), and Geophytes (with large underground bulbs).

[official-saul-goodman]

I want to take all my furry friends out to the zoo so we can see all their favourite animals and also i can show them bush dogs and rock hyraxes so they get them as fursonas

[slow-drowned-angels]

Personally I think the Afrotherians are the oddest grouping. There’s animals in there that look nothing like each other — aardvarks and dugongs and tenrecs and elephants…

(Photo source: Wikipedia)

[Image Description: A collection of photos labeled 1 through 8.

1. Aardvark

2. Dugong

3. Black and rufous elephant shrew

4. West Indian manatee

5. Cape golden mole

6. Rock hyrax

7. African bush elephant

8. Tailless tenrec.

End image description. \]

I need to talk about how orcas and giraffes are in the same order in regards to taxonomy. because WHAT. HOW. and also HUH???????

for reference. as humans our order is primates. e.g. chimpanzees. makes sense right? forward facing eyes. omnivores. hair covering our bodies. fingers for grasping. large brains. it MAKES SENSE.

and then you have the order of artiodactyla. this order includes deer, giraffes, bison, sheep, goats, cattle, etc. again, makes sense right? cloven hooves. primarily herbivorous. have horns or antlers. HAVE FOUR LEGS. but SOMEHOW. orcas (alongside whales, dolphins, etc) are ALSO PART OF THIS GROUP?!?!????? the carnivorous entirely aquatic smooth as hell extremely intelligent school bus sized legless marine predator?????????

????????????????? WHAT THE FUCK. I'm extremely upset. I love zoology. sorry one extra fun fact before you go. cows are more closely related to whales than they are to horses.

[leggigoesabroad]

we pick up at Mahali Mzuri, for our afternoon game drive. Spoiler, this one was EPIC. At this point we’ve been on a fair number of game drives, so we can’t expect all of them to have something super special and exciting. The “normal” crew you see pretty much every time are zebra, impala, gazelle, buffalo of some kind, etc. Very often, giraffes (which I actually never tire of - they’re all so stunning in their own way and I’m obsessed with their markings and watching them walk/amble.) But the more rare sightings can’t be an every day occurrence. We had been bombing around the Mara a little bit and not seeing too much, and the sun was going to set fairly soon so I figured we’d head back. We came across some jackals fighting over a baby gazelle (😭) and then hyenas, both of which were new for me, so that was cool - and then Betty turned a corner and we came upon a clearing I between some bushes, sort of like a protected circle, of FOURTEEN SLEEPING LIONS. Four big males, some adult females, and maybe about five cubs. The cubs weren’t brand new, but not fully teenagers either - probably like the size of a medium dog, maybe 40-50 pounds. It was… magical. Twelve out of the 14 were passed out asleep, and two of the cubs were NOT TIRED! And wanted to PLAY! They kept wrestling with each other, or going over to jump on their sleeping dads (straight out of Lion King) and the males would wake up and gently ROAR “no, you’re annoying, stop” just enough to scare the cubs into going elsewhere. Watching these cubs tackle each other, balance all four paws on their dad’s big bellies, bite the big manes, plan their attacks and creep up as a game… I will never forget it. It goes under the list I’m keeping of “soul rearrangements” which I credit to my colleague, Erica, who went on her first safari last year and said that after the sunrise over the Maasai Mara while ballooning, she felt her soul had simply been rearranged. It’s a poetic way to describe a complicated feeling: gratitude, stillness, incredulity, you name it. The other vehicles started pulling away, but we stayed until the very last second, when it was officially dark and we had to go. I could have watched them all for hours. I often get a little bored at animal sightings, like ready to move on once I’ve seen it, but with these lions I was the absolute last one wanting to go.

We had an early bedtime because the next morning was a 4:30 am departure time for hot air ballooning in the Maasai Mara. WHEW. somehow, I had no anxiety dreams about oversleeping, and I fell perfectly asleep around 9:45 pm so kind of got a good night’s sleep. Woke up to the hippos and the hyraxes absolutely mooing and screeching away, and popped out of bed. We left at 4:30 and drove about an hour ish to the balloon launch site, across EXTRA bumpy roads. These types of roads are a weird combination of lulling you to sleep, while also not being quite comfortable enough to ever rest. The vehicles are as comfortable as you can get, but there’s not a great place to rest feet/heads/etc. Just when I was getting super over it (and in the pitch black) we pulled up to the large clearing, where several balloons were being fired up and the sun was slowly starting to rise. Probably about 25 total people there from all different safari companies, which I’m told is dead quiet compared to peak season. Krista and I were put in a balloon with about 7 other people. The balloon is divided into five compartments: one rectangle down the middle for the pilot only, underneath his controls; then four squares aligning with the four corners of the balloon basket, separated by thick wicker. You get in on your back, crawling in with the basket on its side, and laying down facing up, in each compartment. A little awkward, but you have to start that way so they can tilt the balloon and basket up once it’s fully inflated and ready to go. There’s a whole team of guys assisting the pilot and manning the balloon strings on the outside until it’s time to let us go. Then… up up and away! I wasn’t scared at all, like I thought I would be. We really don’t go THAT high up, and it’s very slow and gentle. They only balloon in a very calm, flat place of the Mara, so there are no trees or power lines or any obstacles. They say they can’t control WHERE you go, just the altitude and the general direction depending on the wind. All the balloons went roughly the same way and we flew for about an hour before landing. As promised, it was stunning. Just a million colors of the sunrise, paired with the vast panorama of the entire Maasai Mara stretched before us. Almost no sounds to be heard, other than the whooshing of the hot air gas being intermittently pushed into the balloon, and the birds. I spent most of the ride just resting my chin on my arms, on my corner of the balloon, taking it in. Like an hour-long, peaceful meditation. Landing went well, and then our driver picked us up to take us to the hot breakfast site that was being prepared for us and the others with the same balloon company.

We pulled up and were immediately served mimosas, and directed to our white linen tables as the crew finished all the breakfast prep. It was a buffet, with hot items made to order. They even had two pop up bathrooms with a tent around the toilets - called “loo with a view”. I sat next to the other people in my balloon, and the guy next to me introduced himself as Ahad and asked where I was from. I said Denver, and he was too! He lives right next to my old apartment in Five Points and we had much to talk about. He also runs a company that consults for management and employees and teaches them how to improve culture. I was like, were you planted here to marry me?? TBD if I think he’s cute or realistic but we definitely aligned in all the personality ways, so we’ll see when we get home. I also chatted forever with a girl from the nearby town, Norah, who was there because her sister is married to the guy who owns the balloon company. She’s 23 and I loved her. She doesn’t want to stay in her village and get married, she wants to move to NEW YORK CITY! I was thisclose to just asking for her routing number. She gave me her Instagram name to follow her but I didn’t have service, and when I went to look it up after, it didn’t work. Either she fake-numbered me or there was some kind of issue and I’m Very Sad about it, because we bonded hard. I even did like an hour of investigative journalism that night to try to get to the bottom of it using what I knew of her sister and the balloon company, but no dice. I’ll probably just hire a private investigator when I get home.

After all of this, it was only like 9:15 am. I had been up for almost 6 hours and had done so much already! Wesley and our balloon driver, Carol, drove us over to another area of the park when we were done, because they had heard there was a cheetah sighting. We did end up finding the mama in the distance, but she kept moving around and we couldn’t get too close, and didn’t want to stress her out. She was separated from her cubs but within eyesight of them, and we looked at them through binoculars. We turned around to leave, and then came right across the mama, 10 feet in front of us. Killed the engine and sat quietly just observing her massive, sleek, majestic form. She made a sound calling out for her cubs, and the four of them came sprinting over to her, and all five paused right in front of us. I still can’t believe it, even typing this. There are only 25 cheetahs left in the entirety of the Maasai Mara, and five of them stood within 10 feet of us. I wanted to cry. They slowly ran away, and we all sat there dumbstruck. Two days, two unbelievably beautiful big cat moments, with incredible luck, just served up for us. As soon as that happened, I felt like I could go home if I had to. No one could possibly stay this lucky. We got home and rested the rest of the day, and I got a massage and read by the pool. I feel strongly that rest and reflection are equally important parts of safari as the actual experiences themselves. It’s like meditating - you need to live life, then experience stillness. Too much of either won’t help, as they’re a precious balance.

[inatungulates]

Bush hyrax Heterohyrax brucei

Observed by ben_simms, CC BY-NC

[kenyatrunomadstours]

Things to Know To Enjoy a Vacation in the Wild on a Kenya Safari Trip

Kenya is famous for its wilderness and wildlife charm. Consider exploring and understanding the African safari destination for the best Kenya safari trip. 

The best of Savannah, mountain highlands, and landforms that hug the Indian Ocean are in the East African nation- of Kenya. It is a popular haven for big cats like the cheetah, buffalo, elephant, rhinoceros, and lion. 

Highlights of a safari in Kenya are watching the annual Wildebeest migration, viewing wildlife, and staying in exotic safari lodges. When you go on a safari vacation to Kenya, expect to enjoy unique wildlife experiences. 

What can be the best time for a safari trip in Kenya? 

The best time for a Kenyan safari is from June to October. You can also enjoy the best safari experiences during the dry season in Kenya. 

Top experiences of a Kenya Safari 

Exciting Game Drive 

Kenya safari tour’s most essential part is a game drive. You can enjoy a morning, late afternoon, or evening game drive to witness the wildlife in the wilderness. Game drives in Kenya’s best national parks and reserves help you experience the thrill of wildlife encounters. 

The Bird watching tour 

Kenya is home to the world’s most ferocious predators and many exotic bird species. 

There are over 817 bird species across the Kenya National Parks and Reserves. Consider a bird safari to explore the coastal estuaries, wetlands, rocky gorges, papyrus, Acacia savannah, and vast lowland. The most popular bird-watching tours are best in Kenya’s Masai Mara and Lake Baringo. 

Top Kenya safari destinations to explore 

The Masai Mara National Reserve 

The Maasai Mara Reserve is famous for its abundant wildlife, particularly the annual wildebeest migration. The wildebeest Migration takes place from July - October in Mara Reserve. The Masai Mara reserve covers an area of 1,510 km² and is home to a wide range of wildlife like zebras, giraffes, elephants, cheetahs, and lions. 

Location: Southwest region of Kenya 

Top Attractions: 

The annual wildebeest migration 

Balloon safari 

Mara Triangle 

Bush camping. 

Park entry fees: 

Non-residents: $80/$70 per adult per day, $45 per child per day 

The Tsavo East and West National Parks 

The Tsavo East and West National Parks are two adjacent national parks in southeastern Kenya. The parks have diverse landscapes, including open savannah, riverine forests, and rugged hills. They are home to a wide range of wildlife, including the Big Five (Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard, and Rhino) and numerous bird species. 

Location: Located in Coast Province of Kenya in between Nairobi City and Mombasa Top Attractions: 

Tsavo East: 

The Galana River is home to crocodiles and hippos. 

Aruba Dam is a popular spot for wildlife viewing. 

Tsavo West: 

Mzima Springs is a series of natural springs with underwater viewing hides. ● Shetani Lava Flows, a vast expanse of the black lava flow. 

Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary is a protected area for endangered black rhinos. Park entry fees: 

Non-residents: $52 per adult per day, $35 per child per day 

Lake Nakuru National Park 

Lake Nakuru National Park is a protected area on the floor of Great Rift Valley in Kenya, known for its vast soda lake and abundant birdlife, including flamingos. The park is home todiverse wildlife, including endangered species such as the Rothschild's giraffe and black and white rhinos. The surrounding landscape features acacia forests and grasslands. 

Location: Great Rift Valley in Kenya 

Top Attractions: Rhino Sanctuary, Makalia Falls, Baboon Cliff, Lake Nakuru, and Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site. 

Park entry fees: 

Non-residents: $60 per adult per day, $35 per child per day 

Conclusion: 

A safari is the ultimate way to feel the real thrill of the diverse African wildlife. Kenya beholds many exciting things for its visitors. Experience the excitement and adventure on a Kenya safari trip with Kenya Tru Nomads!

[thegrandbestiary]

Bush hyraxes (Heterohyrax brucei) huddling for warmth. (x)

[bjekkergauken]

Not to be a basic bitch but The lion king is probably my favorite Disney movie, and I tried to imitate TLK style while drawing some african animals not depicted there (In the original film: Some of these species might show up in the spinoffs, no idea)  I felt that I didn’t have to adjust my style that much, so either my regular style is fairly close to TLK or i’m just not very good at style imitation

[amnhnyc]

Appearances can be deceiving. 👀 Though it may look like a close relative of rabbits or mice, the bush hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei) is actually more closely related to manatees and elephants! All three animals are members of the clade Paenungulata. And just as in elephants, the hyrax’s front incisors grow continuously to form tusks. Unlike its larger cousins, this small mammal weighs a mere 5.4 pounds (2.5 kilograms). It inhabits rocky areas, and can be found in parts of Africa including Egypt and Angola. Photo: gerhards, CC BY-NC 4.0, iNaturalist #nature #animalsofinstagram #biodiversity #science #cuteanimals https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn2om_VPbr2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=