Dik diks are small African antelope weighing only 6 to 13 pounds as adults. Their common name may be an imitation of their alarm cry. Dik diks live in arid bush and need heavy vegetation for protection and food, but do not need much water to survive.
The dik dik’s most distinguishing feature is its long and flexible snout. When the little antelope breathes in, the warm air cools before reaching its lungs.
Only male dik diks have the corrugated horns. To court a female, a male must shows off his strength and agility. He does this by standing on his hind legs and waving his forelegs in the air over her back, at a 90-degree angle to his own body.
Dik diks eat in the early morning, and then seek cover during the day. You’ll have to be vigilant to spot them along the Lagoon Loop in Nairobi Village.
