Dik Dik

Any of four species of tiny antelope in the genus Madoqua that live in the bushlands of eastern and southern Africa are known as dik-diks. Dik-diks are 30–40 centimetres (12–15.5 in) tall at the shoulder, 50–70 centimetres (19.5–27.5 in) long, 3–6 kilogram (6.6–13.2 lb) in weight, and can live for up to ten years.

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Dik-diks get their name from the females' alarm sounds. Both the male and female create a loud, whistling sound in addition to the female's alarm call. Other animals may be alerted to predators by these noises.

Name

When female dik-diks feel threatened, they whistle a repeating dik sound from their long, tubular snouts, earning the name dik-dik.

Scientific Classification of Dik-Dik 

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Bovidae

Subfamily: Antilopinae

Tribe: Neotragini

Genus: Madoqua

Species 

The four species of dik-dik are:

• Madoqua guntheri Thomas, 1894 – Günther's dik-dik

• M. kirkii (Günther, 1880) – Kirk's dik-dik

• M. piacentini Drake–Brockman, 1911 – Silver dik-dik

• M. saltiana (de Blainville, 1816) – Salt's dik-dik

These little dik dik antelopes have several different adaptations and traits that make them unique. Learn more about each species below.

• Kirk’s Dik-Dik – This is the largest of the four species, with the tallest individuals standing at over a foot and a half tall! Even the largest member of the species is little. Throughout their distribution, researchers have identified six different Kirk's subspecies.

• Gunther’s Dik-Dik – East Africa is home to this little antelope. They have tufts of fur on the crowns of their heads that tip upward. Females without horns have a unicorn-like look thanks to this fur tuft.

• Silver Dik-Dik – The smallest of the four species, this is the smallest of the four. At the most, most people are no more than a foot tall. They're also only five or six pounds. Silvers have silvery fur on their backs and sides, as their name suggests.

• Salt’s Dik-Dik – Henry Salt, a traveller and diplomat, found this species in Abyssinia in 1811. Salt and Silver are closely related, and they even share a subgenus. Salt is divided into five subspecies, according to scientists.

Physical Characteristics

Male dik-diks are slightly larger than female dik-diks. Males have tiny horns (about 7.6 centimetres or 3 in), which are inclined backwards and longitudinally grooved. The male's small, ribbed horns are occasionally partially hidden by the hair on the crown, which forms an upright tuft. The upper body is grey-brown, and the lower body is tan, including the legs, abdomen, crest, and flanks. A preorbital gland generates a dark, sticky substance and is located below the inside corner of each eye in a naked black area. Dik-diks scent-mark their territories by inserting grass stems and twigs into the gland.

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To avoid overheating, dik-diks have lengthened snouts with bellows-like muscles that pump blood through them. Before being recirculated back into the body, this blood is cooled by airflow and subsequent evaporation. However, this method is only used in extreme circumstances; dik-diks can withstand air temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Habitat

Eastern African shrublands and savannas are home to dik dik animals. Dik-diks like areas that have a lot of food plants, such as bushes. Dik-diks may dwell in a variety of habitats, including deep forests and broad plains, although they require adequate cover and a lack of long grass. They normally dwell in pairs in 5-hectare areas (12 acres). The territories are generally in low, shrubby shrubs with an abundance of cover (occasionally along dry, stony streambeds). Dik-diks are able to blend in with their surroundings thanks to their dusty coat. When the Dik-diks feel threatened, they employ a network of runways that run through and around their territory's borders.

Distribution of the Dik Dik

The ranges and distributions of different species vary. Each of the four species lives in a separate part of Africa. East Africa is home to Gunther's species, which may be found in Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Sudan. Salt's species can also be found in Ethiopia and Somalia. Kirk's species can be found in Somalia, Kenya, Angola, Namibia, and Tanzania, among other places. Finally, the Silver species can be found in Somalia and Ethiopia in certain areas.

Diet

Herbivores, dik-diks are. Their food consists primarily of foliage, shoots, fruit, and berries, with very little grass. They get enough water from their meal, therefore they don't need to drink. Microorganisms in their four-chambered stomachs help them digest their food, as do all even-toed ungulates. Following initial digestion, the meal is eructated and rechewed several times, a process known as rumination or 'chewing the cud.' The tapered heads of dik-diks may help them consume the leaves between the spines of acacia trees while keeping their head high enough to identify predators.

Reproduction

Dik-diks are monogamous, and territorial disputes are uncommon. When they happen, the males from each territory dash towards each other, stop short, nod vigorously, and turn around. They'll repeat the process, increasing the space between them each time until one of them gives up. Males use dung piles to indicate their territories and cover the females' faeces with their own. Monogamy in dik-diks could be an evolutionary response to predators; it's perilous to explore, hunting for new companions, when you're surrounded by predators. Couples spend roughly 64% of their time together. If the opportunity arises, males, but not females, will pursue extra-pair mating.

Females are sexually mature at six months, whereas males are sexually mature at twelve months. The mother carries a single offspring after a 169 to 174-day gestation period. This can happen once or twice a year (at the start and finish of the rainy season). The dik-dik is born snout first, with its forelegs laid back across its body, unlike other ruminants, which are born forefeet first. Males weigh 725 to 795 g (1.23 to 1.50 lb) at birth, while females weigh 560 to 680 g (1.23 to 1.50 lb) (1.598 to 1.753 lb). The mother breastfeeds her fawn for six weeks, only feeding it for a few minutes at a time. Young dik-diks have a 50% chance of surviving. After birth, the young are kept hidden for a while, but they grow swiftly and reach full size by seven months. The young are compelled to leave their parents' domain at such an age. The sons are chased off the territory by the dads, while the daughters are chased out by the mothers.

The Behaviour of the Dik Dik

All of the species are shy and spend a lot of time hiding in the undergrowth. They are diurnal, which means they are active during the day. They spend most of their time foraging in the early morning and late afternoon. Their social organisation differs according to the species. Outside of the breeding season, some dwell in small herds, others in pairs or family groupings, while still others live alone. Many creatures defend their territories by marking their boundaries with urine or faeces.

Dik Dik Care

Various zoos across the world have these little dik dik antelopes in their collections. Depending on their natural social structure, several species dwell in tiny herds. Their enclosures are not as vast as those of other antelope species, but they do have a variety of foliage and hiding spots for these cautious creatures. Fresh plants, hay, and pelleted herbivore feed are fed to these animals in zoos. They also give a variety of edible plants for the antelopes to feed on in their cage.

Predators 

Leopards, caracals, lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and humans are the main predators of dik-diks. Monitor lizards, cheetahs, jackals, baboons, eagles, hawks, and pythons are among the other predators. Dik-diks have exceptional eyesight and can run at speeds of up to 42 km/h, which helps them avoid predators (26 mph).

Dik Dik and Human Interaction

All four animal species are hunted by humans. Despite the fact that they kill antelopes for their flesh, one of the main reasons they do so is for their hide. People utilise their hides to make suede gloves, despite the fact that a single glove requires an entire animal!

These little antelopes are likewise affected by habitat degradation. Their populations, on the other hand, are healthy, and three of the four species are classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. They don't have enough data to make a definitive assessment of the Silver species' conservation status.

Interesting Facts About Dik-Dik

• Dik-diks are quite small. Dik-diks are roughly 12-16 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh 7-15 pounds when fully mature.

• Because of their small size, they are easy prey for a variety of predators. Big cats, jackals, monitor lizards, hyenas, wild dogs, pythons, birds of prey, and humans all hunt dik-diks. Because of their exceptional eyesight and ability to achieve speeds of up to 26 mph, they have a fighting chance against such predators.

• Dik-diks get their name from the noise they produce. When disturbed, dik-diks sprint in a zigzag pattern and whistle a "dik-dik"-sounding alarm call through their noses. This harsh call warns fellow dik-diks and larger animals of danger nearby.

• Dik-diks are a monogamous mammal that is extremely rare. The majority of grazing animals live in herds, whereas dik-diks dwell in monogamous partnerships that manage a plot of land. Females only have one offspring at a time, which can happen up to twice a year. The infant stays with its parents until it is about seven months old when it is chased off the family's property.

• A "defecation ceremony" is used to designate their territory. The female defecates and urinates at a certain location first, while the male stands behind her. Then, with his upper lip curled and teeth bared, he sniffs her droppings and pee. With his front legs, the male scrapes her faeces and then places his own faeces and pee on top of hers. Neighbour conflicts are rare, but when they do happen, the males from each region sprint towards each other, stop short, nod their heads, and turn around. They repeat this process, increasing the space between them until one of them gives up. Then they both urinate and defecate on the ground.

• They also use ocular secretions to indicate their territory. A preorbital gland can be found below the inside corner of each eye as a bare black area. It secretes a black, sticky substance. To disperse the secretion and scent-mark their territories, Dik-diks poke their eyeballs in grass stems and twigs.

• They are not required to drink. Dik-diks are herbivores who eat mostly foliage, shoots, fruit, and berries as part of their diet. They get enough water from their meal, therefore they don't need to drink. They also have the driest faeces and the most concentrated urine of any ungulate.

• They take their time chewing their cud. Rumination, or chewing their cud, is used by dik-diks to break down partially digested food, just like all even-toed ungulates.

• The noses of Dik-diks are prehensile. Some dik-dik species have extended snouts that allow them to grab objects. Their noses also aid in heat management. 10. When it comes to dealing with the African heat, Dik-diks have a few tactics. They begin by sleeping in shady areas during the warmest parts of the day. Second, they can pant to circulate blood via their elongated snouts, where it is cooled by airflow and evaporation before being pumped to the remainder of the body.

Dik-dik is one of Africa’s most unusual antelopes. They are tiny and adorable animals, barely large enough to poke their heads above the grass. In this article, we have come across dik dik introduction, scientific classification, physical characteristics, habitat, behaviour and reproduction. It's difficult to identify one because they're so little. Nonetheless, they present one of the cutest interactions on an African safari.