Spot the Dassie

[Hooch]

Like our closest relative is supposed to be the chimp which we evolved from, but if we evolved from them how come chimps aren't extinct and still around?

Nope... we share a common ancestor... otherwise chimps would still be turning into humans?!

I say blame the Americans.

 

Thats exactly one of my arguments against the evolution theory, I dont share the same ancestory as apes and neither did I or my forefathers evolve from the sea/water, we were also never single cell amoeba's or pond scum, and I have no common DNA from people who hail from the Karoo!
 
@ Mike, you right, imagine a drilling that a 4 ton Dassie can give you while fishing from the rocks   

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Strangely the resemblance is there.

Look at the paw structure of a elaphant and a hyrax. The paws are exactly the same as with the teeth of the two individuals.

[Ziggy]

Nah its the elephant.

Heard that one, but must be from around 7 trillion years ago. Like our closest relative is supposed to be the chimp which we evolved from, but if we evolved from them how come chimps aren't extinct and still around?
 
If an elephant is related to a Dassie something must have gone seriously wrong somewhere down the line.
 
I say blame the Americans.

Scientists have sequenced the genome of the chimpanzee and found that humans are 96 percent similar to the great ape species. "Darwin wasn't just provocative in saying that we descend from the apes—he didn't go far enough," said Frans de Waal, a primate scientist at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. "We are apes in every way, from our long arms and tailless bodies to our habits and temperament." (see http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/0831_050831_chimp_genes.html)


However,  there is a study a controversial new study contends that Orangutans may be the  closest human relatives, not chimps. The authors base their conclusion on a  close physical resemblance between orangutans and humans, which they say has  been overshadowed by genetic evidence linking us to chimps. John Grehan, of the  Buffalo Museum of Science in New York State, and Jeffrey Schwartz, of the  University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, say that the DNA evidence cited by  many scientists only looks at a small percentage of the human and chimp  genomes. What's more, the genetic similarities likely include many ancient DNA  traits that are shared across a much broader group of animals. By contrast,  humans share at least 28 unique physical characteristics with orangutans but  only 2 with chimps and 7 with gorillas, the authors say. The finding, which has  the potential to spark a radical rethink of human origins, is being met with  caution. (see http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/090623-humans-chimps-related.html)
We should not confuse ourselves -  we did not evolve from Chimps - but we evolved from the same family group - so we are just another branch of apes

[Ziggy]

Dassies are the closest related relatives to Elephants, despite the enormous difference in size between the two, research has claimed the dassie is the African elephant’s closest living relative. A new discovery has revealed that the oldest ancestors of modern-day elephants were little bigger than a rabbit.
A 60 million-year-old skull dug up in Morocco has been identified as the earliest form of elephant species. This creature was trunk-less, measured less than 50 cm from tip to tail and weighed just 5kg. The mini-jumbo had front incisors which jutted out of its mouth to form the forerunner of the modern tusks.
Analysis of the teeth in the skull proved it was related, however distant, to the modern elephant. It is 10 million years older than other Elephant ancestor fossils discovered.
Dassies are members of the Afrotheria - related to  elephants, sea cows, tenrecs, elephant shrews and the aardvark.

[SAfish]

It is a Rock Rabbit.

No its not. Rock rabbit is completely different. Its a hyrax.

Rock rabbit
From Wikipedia
Rock rabbit can refer to:
Hyraxes, mammals of the Order Hyracoidea
Pikas, mammals of the Family Ochotonidae

[Hooch]

It is a Rock Rabbit.

No its not. Rock rabbit is completely different. Its a hyrax.

Rock rabbit
From Wikipedia
Rock rabbit can refer to:
Hyraxes, mammals of the Order Hyracoidea
Pic of a Rock Rabbit
Pikas, mammals of the Family Ochotonidae

[Prego]

So where is this elusive Dassie come elephant

[SAfish]

http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/mammals/hyracoidea/procavia_capensis.htm

[hrogers]

The dassie (rock rabbit) sit on the ledge that look like a chair.

here is the photo hopefully we will see it now

[hrogers]

Here is a bigger picture of the rocks

[SAfish]

The dassie (rock rabbit) sit on the ledge that look like a chair.

here is the photo hopefully we will see it now

OK, sorry, I did not get it right. I thought it was the rounded rock slightly lower and to the left. You can actually see the rock is stained darker by their urine.
I enjoyed this thread, thanks hrodgers. 

[Willie]

Damn good thing I am not an Eagle will die of starvation or maybe time to get better glasses 

[LUPO]

Damn good thing I am not an Eagle will die of starvation or maybe time to get better glasses 

  I was sitting here thinking the same thing!  I am quite prepared to put money on me needing glasses though.

@hrogers - great thread.

[icstuff]

Damn good thing I am not an Eagle will die of starvation or maybe time to get better glasses 

X2

I have to add that I am glad that I dont make a living from fishing cause my fishing skills are worse than my dassie hunting skills.

[SAfish]

Did you guys know that you can also fish for Dassie? Most of you have probably caught one of this common fish species. Who knows which species I am referring to? 

[Willie]

Its a Blacktail

[icstuff]

Its a Blacktail

Willie this is why we cant see it, it is in the water 

[SAfish]

Its a Blacktail

The only Dassie I saw in the photo was behind the first breaker. 

[Willie]

Its a Blacktail

Willie this is why we cant see it, it is in the water 

Ok going to put on my special polaroids glasses then maybe will it be spotted 

[SAfish]

Icstuff, how is that for posting the same thing at the same time. 

[REEFMAN]

We should not confuse ourselves -  we did not evolve from Chimps - but we evolved from the same family group - so we are just another branch of apes

Maybe you are family of an ape/primate species. I certainly am not. I was created.
But best we don't go further with this controversial subject.