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Free, no AIHebrew-English guide 93 of 100

Israeli Wildlife, in Plain English

What shafan, tan, dorban and dukhifat are called in English.

Wild animals of Israel: rock hyraxes, a hoopoe and other mammals

Mix-Ups to Avoid

  1. Do not translate shafan as rabbit. The shafan is a rock hyrax, which is neither a rabbit nor a rodent; its closest living relatives include elephants and manatees.
  2. Do not call a dorban a hedgehog. The hedgehog is kipod, a much smaller animal, while the dorban is a large crested porcupine and Israel's largest rodent.
  3. Do not call every tawny wild canid a fox or a coyote. Check the tail: the tan, or golden jackal, has a short black-tipped tail that hangs down.
In This Guide5 entries

Mammals

A rock hyrax sunning on a rock, shfan sela'im

On the label or sign

שפן סלעים
rock hyrax, the rock species named in full

שפן / שפן סלעיםRock hyrax

shafan / shfan sela'im

US English

Rock hyrax

UK English

Rock hyrax

What it is

The shafan is the rock hyrax, Procavia capensis, of the order Hyracoidea. A shafan is brown to brownish grey, with a compact body, short rounded ears, short sturdy legs, and no visible tail.

The difference

The shafan looks like a large rodent or a short-eared rabbit, but the rock hyrax is neither; its closest living relatives include elephants and manatees. Names like dassie, Cape hyrax, and rock rabbit exist, but rock hyrax is the clearest English name.

Common mistake

Do not translate shafan as rabbit or call a short-eared animal on the rocks a hare; hares have long ears and a short visible tail.

A golden jackal at dusk, tan

On the label or sign

תן זהוב
golden jackal, the species name

תן / תן זהובGolden jackal

tan / tan zahov

US English

Golden jackal

UK English

Golden jackal

What it is

The tan is the golden jackal, Canis aureus, a medium-sized omnivorous canid. A tan eats small animals as well as fruit, vegetables, and human refuse, and is mainly active at night, late afternoon, and early morning.

The difference

The tan is not the North American coyote and not the red fox. The golden jackal has a relatively short, black-tipped tail that hangs near the hind legs, while a red fox has a much longer, white-tipped tail.

Common mistake

Do not call any tawny wild canid a fox, wolf, or coyote; check for the short black-tipped tail, keep your distance, and never feed a tan.

A crested porcupine on a trail, dorban

On the label or sign

דורבן מצוי
common porcupine, another name for the dorban
דורבן הודי
Indian porcupine, another name for the dorban

דורבןIndian crested porcupine

dorban

US English

Indian crested porcupine, or white-tailed porcupine

UK English

Indian crested porcupine

What it is

The dorban is the Indian crested porcupine, Hystrix indica, a rodent in the Old World porcupine family. A dorban is a large, low-slung night animal with black-and-white banded quills and a crest, about 90 cm long in the body according to the Nature and Parks Authority.

The difference

The dorban is not a hedgehog and not a North American tree porcupine. A dorban cannot shoot its quills, although quills can come loose on contact, and a pressed dorban can move backwards toward a threat.

Common mistake

Do not translate dorban as hedgehog or believe the quill-shooting myth; keep well away and never corner a dorban.

On the label or sign

קיפוד מצוי
common hedgehog

קיפוד / קיפוד מצויHedgehog

kipod / kipod matzui

US English

Hedgehog

UK English

Hedgehog

What it is

The kipod is the hedgehog. Israel's kipod matzui is a small insect-eating hedgehog of about 20 to 25 cm.

The difference

English speakers sometimes mix up the kipod and the dorban because both have spines. The kipod is a hedgehog, while the dorban is a porcupine of about 90 cm in the body and Israel's largest rodent.

Common mistake

Do not use kipod for a porcupine; say dorban for the large quilled animal and kipod only for the small hedgehog.

Birds

A hoopoe on a lawn, dukhifat

דוכיפתHoopoe

dukhifat

US English

Common Hoopoe; older name Eurasian Hoopoe

UK English

Hoopoe

What it is

The dukhifat is the hoopoe, Upupa epops, and Israel's national bird. A dukhifat is a 26 to 28 cm bird with a pinkish-brown or sandy body, black-and-white barred wings, a long down-curved black bill, and a fan-shaped crest.

The difference

The dukhifat is not a woodpecker, even though the hoopoe has a crest and probes with its bill. The eBird and Clements list changed the name Eurasian Hoopoe to Common Hoopoe in 2025, while the British Trust for Ornithology uses Hoopoe.

Common mistake

Do not group the dukhifat with woodpeckers or treat Eurasian Hoopoe as the only modern name; use Common Hoopoe for US copy and Hoopoe for UK copy.

The Tempting English Word Is Wrong. Say This Instead.

The tempting English word is wrong. Say this instead.
Wrong English guessHebrew nameKeep in mind
Rabbitשפן סלעיםshfan sela'imA rock hyrax, not a rabbit or rodent.
Coyote or foxתן זהובtan zahovA golden jackal with a short black-tipped tail.
Hedgehog (for the large quilled animal)דורבןdorbanAn Indian crested porcupine.
HedgehogקיפודkipodThe small insect-eating animal.
WoodpeckerדוכיפתdukhifatThe hoopoe, Israel's national bird.

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How we checked this guide

By the baba team. Checked on against 31 sources, mostly Israeli retailers, manufacturers and government pages, and updated . Products, labels and rules change, so check the pack or the office before you rely on a detail. Our methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a shafan a rabbit?

No. The shafan, or shfan sela'im, is the rock hyrax, Procavia capensis. The rock hyrax is neither a rabbit nor a rodent, and its closest living relatives include elephants and manatees.

What is a tan in English?

A tan is a golden jackal, Canis aureus. The golden jackal is not a coyote or a red fox, and its short tail has a black tip.

Is a dorban a hedgehog?

No. The dorban is the Indian crested porcupine, Israel's largest rodent. The Hebrew word for hedgehog is kipod, a much smaller animal.

Can a porcupine in Israel shoot its quills?

No. The dorban cannot shoot its quills, although quills can come loose on contact. Keep well away and never corner a dorban.

What is the dukhifat called in English?

The dukhifat is the hoopoe, Israel's national bird. Current eBird and Clements usage is Common Hoopoe, UK usage is Hoopoe, and Eurasian Hoopoe is an older alternate.

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