Two baby rock hyraxes debut at zoo in Norfolk

NORFOLK

Two baby rock hyrax are showing their faces for the first time at the Virginia Zoo. Born July 6 in the Africa-Okavango Delta exhibit, they've emerged from hiding, but remain shy - wedging themselves into rock crevices when startled by visitors.

Hyrax eat mostly grass and weigh up to 9 pounds when grown. Their feet have rubbery pads covered in sweat glands that help form suction, enabling them to cling to sheer, rocky surfaces. They hail from the same ancestors as elephants and manatees, and share some of the same characteristics, including good memories and incisors that grow like tusks.

And they're not quite as cuddly as they sometimes look.

"They're small, but they can be a handful," said Craig Pelke, an animal curator at the zoo. "They have an attitude that can match the size of their elephant cousins."