Hyrax and other odities

Hyraxes and other oddities

Uganda’s five hyrax species are guinea-pig-like animals, often associated with rocky habitats, and related more closely to elephants than to any other living creatures — difficult to credit until you’ve heard a tree hyrax shrieking with pachydermal abandon through the night.

Four types of pangolin (similar in appearance to the South American scaly anteaters) occur in Uganda, as does the aardvark, a bizarre, long-snouted insectivore which is widespread in savanna habitats but very seldom seen Rock hyrax because of its nocturnal habits.

Also regarded as large mammals by the official checklist are 12 squirrel species, three flying squirrels (anomalures), three porcupines, three hares, two cane-rats, a hedgehog and the peculiar chevrotain.

References

• 2005. “African Wildlife Foundation”. http://www.awf.org/wildlives/153.
• Bradt Travel Guides, Uganda, By Philip Briggs, Andrew Roberts. https://amzn.to/372YK7p