‘Chaos potatoes’ born at zoo weigh less than a pound but are related to elephants
Reminiscent of elephants, but weighing less than 10 pounds? They’re real, and they’re nicknamed “chaos potatoes.”
These three rock hyrax pups — Russ, Spud and Jackie — were born this summer at the Chester Zoo in England and just passed their first vet checks.
While small in stature, they have a supersized cousin. Hyraxes are related to elephants, with tusk-like upper teeth. They’re native to Africa and the Middle East.
“The pups arrived to parents Maris and Albert and amazingly, given their tiny (350 grams) [12 ounces] size, their closest living relatives are elephants! Keepers say their unusual family tree provides insights into the surprising twists evolution can take,” the zoo wrote in a press release.
Currently, the pups weigh less than a pound each, but they could get to around 8 pounds when fully grown.