Rodents

Rodents are a huge group of mammals world wide and are well represented in Lebanon, this group includes the Squirrel, Porcupine (information given here) as well as dormice, mice, rats, voles, mole rats, hamsters, Jirds and Jerboas.

Below is a selection of Lebanon’s rodents:



Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis)

If they look like rodents, feed, and behave like rodents, Hyrax are not rodents. If one wants to find him cousins among mammals, he has to mention elephants and sea cow! Hyrax are native from the African continent, and only one species can be found out of sub-Saharan Africa, Procavia carpensis, which settled in the Middle East up to Lebanon. They inhabit rocky terrain, and their feet have rubbery pads with numerous sweat glands, which may help the animal maintain its grip when quickly moving up steep, rocky surfaces. Hyraxes live in small family groups, with a single male that aggressively defends the territory from rivals. The remaining males live solitary lives, often on the periphery of areas controlled by larger males. They nest in holes under the rocks, but do not dig dens.

Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis) © Ramy Khashab