Potato-Inspired Rock Hyrax Pups Delight Visitors at Chester Zoo

CHESTER, England — Three young rock hyrax pups have made their first public appearance at Chester Zoo, delighting visitors with their energetic antics and unusual family connection to one of the world’s largest land mammals.

The female and two male pups Russ, Spud and Jackie initially stayed close to their mother during their first outing but soon began darting around their enclosure as they became more confident.

The six-week-old pups weigh only about 350 grammes each, but their arrival has already attracted considerable attention from zoo visitors.

Zoo staff have given the trio potato-inspired names because of their resemblance to small potatoes, with “Spud” providing the most direct nod to the theme.

Pups Receive Clean Bill of Health

The young hyraxes were introduced to the public after receiving a clean bill of health from the zoo’s veterinary team.

Lyndon Howson, Assistant Team Manager at Chester Zoo, said visitors had been particularly excited when they realised that the tiny animals they were seeing alongside the adults were actually the new arrivals.

“A lot of visitors seem to be very excited when they spot them for the first time,” Howson said, describing the moment people realise the small animals are pups.

He said the reaction from visitors had made the experience especially rewarding for the zoo team.

Small Mammals With a Surprising Family Connection

While rock hyraxes may look like relatively ordinary small mammals, they have a surprising evolutionary connection to elephants and aquatic mammals such as manatees and dugongs.

Howson explained that one of the similarities can be seen in the animals’ teeth.

Rock hyraxes belong to the same broader evolutionary group as elephants and sirenians. Their front incisors continue growing throughout their lives, in a trait that bears similarities to the continuously growing tusks of elephants.

The unusual relationship is one of the facts zoo staff hope visitors will discover while observing the new family.

Rock Hyraxes Thrive in Rocky Habitats

Rock hyraxes are specially adapted to life among boulders, cliffs and narrow rock crevices.

According to Howson, their physical and behavioural adaptations allow them to thrive in these environments in the wild.

“They've adapted specifically for life within boulders, within small crevices across the cliff faces,” he explained.

Although the species is not commonly bred in zoos, Chester Zoo has been successful in encouraging reproduction.

The animals also have a relatively long pregnancy for their small size, with African Wildlife Foundation information indicating that a rock hyrax pregnancy lasts approximately seven to eight months.

Chester Zoo Hopes for a Growing Family

The arrival of the three pups has also raised hopes of establishing a larger rock hyrax family group at the zoo.

The pups are being raised by parents Maris and Albert, with staff hoping the social nature of the species will allow the family to remain together for years to come.

Howson said rock hyraxes can live in large social groups, sometimes numbering more than 20 individuals.

“For ourselves, we're really lucky. We have wanted to breed them. We have been very successful because rock hyrax, they are a very social species and they can live into a large group,” he said.

He added that it would be rewarding to watch the family unit develop over time.

For now, Russ, Spud and Jackie are continuing to explore their surroundings under the watchful eye of their parents and giving visitors a chance to see one of the animal kingdom’s more unexpected evolutionary connections up close.