African Damara Dik-dik

Damara Dik-dik

(Madoqua kirki damarensis)

Current all time records
SCI: Score 11 5/16
Rowland Ward: Score 4 1/8 - Namibia - 1980

Description: Females are slightly larger than the males. Only the males have horns, which are small, spike-like and incline backwards.

The head sometimes does not seem to be in proportion to the dainty body. A shaggy crest of hair on the crown, which at times almost obscures the horns, is raised when the animal is alarmed. Dik diks have elongated snouts that look like a little proboscis, or trunk. The nose is mobile with the upper end slightly forked, an interesting adaptation to living in hot, dry climates. It is enlarged, and the inside passage functions as a blood-cooling mechanism when the bellows-like muscles increase the airflow into the nose. The blood is pumped to the nose where airflow and subsequent evaporation cools the blood before it is recirculated to the body. This is just one of several mechanisms the dik dik uses to reduce water loss.

Other Common Names: Damaraland Dik-dik, Digidigi (Swahili)

Size: 14 to 16 inches at the shoulder, 6 to 13 pounds

Range: Angola and Namibia; primarily May - December.

Natural History: Dik diks live in various habitats with good cover and plentiful browse, but without tall herbage. They are known to move to different ranges when grasses grow too high and obstruct their view.

Dik diks live in pairs in fixed territories covering up to 12 acres each. They mark their territory at strategic places along the borders that meet or overlap with other dik dik territories and drop their dung on dung left in their territory by other animals, even elephants. Both males and females help defend the territory and prevent the entry of other females.

The territories are often located in low, shrubby bush along dry, rocky stream beds where there are plenty of hiding places. Dik diks maintain a series of runways through and around the borders of their territories.

Sight, scent and hearing are well-developed, and dik diks are very alert. They know their territories intimately and respond to the alarm calls of other animals. When in danger they tend to hide instead of flee from a predator.

Their predators are numerous, including monitor lizards, eagles, pythons, smaller cats such as the caracal, as well as lions, cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs and humans. Even though small, with sticklike legs, the dik dik can put up a good defense, sometimes doing considerable damage with its razor-sharp hooves.

Hunting Characteristics: