Dik-dik

They are herbivorous animals that mainly feed on tree and shrub leaves. They can also consume grasses and other herbs they find. In zoos, they also eat fruits and vegetables. Despite their small size, dik diks eat often and in very large quantities. This is because they are not able to properly assimilate all the nutrients present in their food. Therefore, they mainly consume plants that are easy to digest and low in fiber. They do not particularly need a water source, as they manage to hydrate themselves solely from the food they ingest.

This small mammal is found in two distinct regions of Africa. In the east of the continent, in Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania, as well as in the southwest of the continent, in Angola and Namibia. The Kirk’s dik-dik is found in rather arid habitats, bushy areas as well as in open woodlands and rocky valleys.

Naturally discreet, these animals have only their small size as a means of defense, which allows them to stealthily hide under the thorny bushes of the savannah where they live. They are semi-nocturnal or even crepuscular animals, as they move around in search of food mainly during the coolest hours of the day, at sunrise or sunset.

In case of danger, the Dik dik first freezes and lies down in order to blend in with its environment. In some cases, it may vocalize to warn its peers of danger. Its call is so high-pitched that it sounds like the whistle of a bird. If the threat persists and the Dik dik feels too endangered, it escapes in a zigzag pattern to evade the predator. Despite its small size, it is capable of running at speeds close to 25 mph (40 km/h).

Regarding reproduction, these animals form faithful pairs that are very territorial. The male and female define the boundaries of their territory by leaving small piles of droppings on the ground. The female is pregnant for about 170 days and gives birth to a single offspring weighing between 560 and 795 grams. The baby is nursed for 6 weeks and is then chased from its parents’ territory at around 7 months to go in search of its own vital domain. Sexual maturity is not reached at the same time in both sexes; females reach it at around 6 months, while males do so at 12 months.

In Kirk’s dik-diks, the fawn survival rate is approximately 50%.

In captivity, they can live an average of 17 years.

The main predators of Dik diks in the wild are felines (caracal, lions, leopard, etc.), some large reptiles like the African rock python, as well as certain birds of prey or even baboons.

The threats related to humans weighing on the dik-dik are human expansion, which replaces this animal’s natural habitat with farmland. Also, hunting for bushmeat or even using its skin to make items, such as gloves for example. Despite these various threats, the dik-dik is not an endangered species; it is even considered to be of least concern by the IUCN.