Southern Tree Hyrax

Also known as Southern Tree Dassie, Tree Hyrax

Southern tree hyraxes spend their nights high in the canopy of East African forests, moving through branches with specialized rubbery footpads that act like suction cups. Their loud, haunting territorial calls resonate through the forest canopy after dark, beginning with rhythmic croaks that build to sharp shrieks. Although superficially resembling large rodents, these secretive tree-dwellers share a surprisingly close evolutionary lineage with elephants and manatees.