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Hyraxes (from Ancient Greek húrax “shrew mouse”), also called Dassie, are small, stout, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. The Dassie does not construct dens, as most rodents and rodent-like mammals do, but over the course of its lifetime rather seek shelter in existing holes of great variety in size and configuration.
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The Hyrax is also called Rock Rabbit or Dassie, is a small furry mammal. It looks like a robust, oversized Guinea Pig, or a Rabbit with rounded ears and no tail. Dassie have stumpy toes with hoof-like nails; and four toes on each front foot and three on each back foot. Dassie weigh roughly 4–5 kg (8.8–11.0 lb).
Dassie retain or have redeveloped a number of primitive mammalian characteristics; in particular, they have poorly developed internal temperature regulation, for which they compensate by behavioural thermoregulation, such as huddling together and basking in the sun.
Unlike most other browsing and grazing animals, they do not use the incisors at the front of the jaw for slicing off leaves and grass; rather, they use the molar teeth at the side of the jaw. The two upper incisors are large and tusk-like, and grow continuously through life, similar to those of rodents. The four lower incisors are deeply grooved “comb teeth”. Gaps occurs between the incisors and the cheek teeth.
Although not ruminants, hyraxes have complex, multi-chambered stomachs that allow symbiotic bacteria to break down tough plant materials, but their overall ability to digest fibre is lower than that of the ungulates. Their mandibular motions are similar to chewing cud but the Dassie is physically incapable of regurgitation as in the even-toed ungulates and some of the macropods. This chewing behaviour may be a form of agnostic behaviour when the animal feels threatened.
Dassie have an average life span of 10 years and they become sexually mature at about 16 to 17 months. The female Dassie gives birth to up to four young after a gestation period of 7–8 months, depending on the species. The young are weaned at 1–5 months of age, and reach sexual maturity at 16–17 months.
Dassie live in small family groups, with a single male that aggressively defends the territory from rivals. Where living space is abundant, the male may have sole access to multiple groups of females, each with its own range. The remaining males live solitary lives, often on the periphery of areas controlled by larger males, and mate only with younger females.
Dassie inhabit rocky terrain and cliff faces across sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Their feet have rubbery pads with numerous sweat glands, which may help the animal maintain its grip when quickly moving up steep, rocky surfaces. They also have efficient kidneys, retaining water so that they can better survive in arid environments.
Dassie taxidermy is the art of preserving the Dassie’s skin and other body parts to produce lifelike sculptures for display, either at home as a hunting trophy or in museums for educational purposes. Skin is preserved and mounted on an artificial armature to display the specimen.
The contemporary English word “taxidermy” is derived from the Greek terms taxis, meaning “movement,” and derma, meaning “skin,” thereby combining these two meanings. This is why, in a broad sense, taxidermy is synonymous with “the motion of skin.”
For expert taxidermists, skills in sculpture, painting, and sketching are just as important as those in carpentry, woodworking, tanning, moulding, and casting.
The remaining parts of the body are synthetic replacements for real organs and tissues. Polyurethane foam is used for the manikin or form, which includes the anatomy of every muscle and vein; glass is used for the eyes; clay is used for the eyelids; for the nose and mouth the foam of the mannequin is sculptured.
Works of taxidermy can be found in a wide range of environments, including museums, classrooms, galleries, stores, restaurants, and private households, due to the complexity and delicate craftsmanship involved in the taxidermy process.
Thorough preparation is the key factor to ensuring a high-quality final product. All hides are tanned and oiled using the world’s very best available chemicals and processes to ensure permanence and longevity. Forms are selected to ensure the best fit and posture will be altered to suit you, the client’s preference without additional cost. Natural habitat bases are custom-made for full mount trophies without additional cost. Only the finest materials and 40 years of professional experience are used in defining your trophies in a whole new way. The final trophies are almost Life-Formed. When the restoration is required, every effort is made to repair cuts and abrasions, and to minimise bullet damage. Natural scarring is kept unless otherwise requested.
Dassie may be hunted at any time of day or night, whenever a suitable chance presents itself. They frequently bask in the morning sun on rocky outcrops in the wild. Finding a shady spot behind some rocks within shooting range of your target Hyrax is the most effective strategy for hunting this animal.
On a calm day, the 22 Hornet is the best choice for hunting steenbok, duiker, and Dassie with a small calibre rifle. This calibre is recommended because of its stellar reputation for pinpoint accuracy and its negligible impact on trophies.
Hunting these creatures may be quite thrilling for varmint and airgun hunters because of the amazing long-range shooting challenges they present. While not often taken during a plains game hunt, these animals may be sought by small predator hunters looking for a unique mount to complement their full-size Caracal, Jackal, or Cape Fox. They look best when displayed as complete mounts on a man-made rock.
When making an Dassie mount, careful planning is key to getting a high-quality result. When tanning and oiling the skins, only the best chemicals and methods are used. This ensures that the skins will last for many years.
Your preferred form for the Dassie will be chosen after taking your measurements into account, and the posture of your form will be changed at no extra cost. Full-mount Dassie trophies come with bases made to look like the animal’s natural habitat and made just for the Dassie mount.
The taxidermy process at Life-Form takes your prized Dassie trophy and gives it a whole new meaning by using only the best materials and drawing on more than 40 years of experience in the field.
When repair is needed, every effort is made to fix cuts and scrapes and lessen bullet damage. Existing scars are left alone unless the client asks for them to be taken away.
Using the helpful tips below, it’s important to take extra care of your prized Dassie trophy to make sure it stays in perfect shape for years to come.
The pricing of any trophy is subject to the costing stipulated per taxidermy order, quantity of trophies and preferred mounting options, along with additional requirements.
Should you wish to receive a quotation prior to the hunt, the taxidermist can generate such for you. Please contact [email protected]
Taxidermy is an art form that involves a complicated step-by-step process to make sure that each trophy looks just right and is of a high enough quality that it will last your whole life.
The time it takes a taxidermist to mount an animal might range from days to weeks, and possibly several months, depending on the quantity of trophies per taxidermy order, the display preferences, and volumes of client trophies to be produced, simultaneously, per production schedule.
This depends largely on the “what, how, when” factors. A taxidermy order also only becomes available for production scheduling upon receipt of the required deposit and trophy mounting instructions.
