Definition
damans
noun
- plural of daman; small, stocky mammals native to Africa and the Middle East, resembling rodents but more closely related to elephants and manatees
Usage: also called hyraxes or rock hyraxes; zoological term
Examples
- Damans are found in rocky habitats across Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
- The damans in the wildlife preserve were observed climbing steep cliff faces with ease.
- Scientists study damans to better understand the evolutionary history of large mammals.
- Unlike rodents, damans have hooves and are surprisingly distant relatives of elephants.
- The colony of damans huddled together on the rocks to stay warm at night.