Overview
Distinguished by its very elongated nose, the longest of any dik-dik, forming a distinct proboscis. The general color is a grizzled grayish fawn. The chin, throat, breast and underparts are white. The nose, forehead, and back of ears are reddish fawn. The head tuft is mixed black and white.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Madoqua
Habitat
Inhabits arid and semi-arid scrublands, preferring stony ground and seldom seen far from cover. Distribution- Far southeastern Sudan, northeastern Uganda, southern Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and northern and central Somalia from the Nogul Valley southward to about Mogadishu.
Diet
Primarily a browser and consumes fruit, but does very little grazing.
Behavior
Dik-diks have well-developed sight, scent, and hearing. When dik-diks feel they’re in danger or hear the alarm calls from other animals, they hide instead of fleeing from predators. And when frightened or disturbed, dik-diks make a whistling sound through the nose that sounds like “zik-zik,” and this is probably how they got their name. Dik-diks mate for life and live together in low bush areas along dry, rocky streams beds. They are rarely seen apart from their partners. Mostly nocturnal, dik-diks avoid the heat of day; this also helps them prevent unnecessary water loss.
Hunting
Only hunted in Ethiopia and Uganda. Mainly spot and stalk methods. Often a high caliber solid bullet is prefered due to its passing through without expansion, causing little damage to the meat and hyde.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.