Rock hyraxes live up to nine years in captivity, but the average life span is between six and seven years. The basic family unit is one adult male and several females with their young. Other males may live in bachelor groups. They form colonies of four to 60. The size of the colony depends on available habitat.
Hyraxes feed mostly on the ground and eat leaves, grass, small plants, and berries.
They will climb to feed on such fruits as figs. In winter, when food is more scarce, they eat bark. At the Santa Barbara Zoo the hyraxes eat yams, carrots, spinach, kale, rabbit pellets, and alfalfa.