Description:

Dik-diks are some of the world's smallest antelopes, with the largest, the Kirk's dik-dik standing between 35 and 46cm tall and weighing no more than 7.2 kg. Female dik-diks tend to be 0.5-1kg heavier than males. They are dainty creatures with a pointed, mobile snout, large eyes and ears, prominent preorbital glands, pipestem legs, hare-like hind limbs that are significantly larger than their forelimbs, and a vestigial tail. Their coats, depending upon their habitat, range from grey to gray-brown with tan flanks, limbs, and an erectile head crest and whitish eye rings, ear lining, underparts, and rump.

Habitat:

Dik-dik are endemic to savannah areas of eastern and southwestern Africa. They prefer habitats with good cover but lacking tall vegetation. Ideal habitats contain a variety of browse, extensive shade, and an open understory at their eye level. As a result, they move to different ranges when grass grows too high and obstructs their view.

Diet:

Dik-dik are herbivorous and their diets consist mainly of foliage, fruits, shoots, and berries. Due to their adaptations, dik-diks are water-independent and rely on vegetation as a source of water. Dik-diks are concentrate selectors, feeding selectively on dicotyledonous plants that can be rapidly fermented and digested. This includes leaves and fruit high in nutrients and water, but low in fiber and cellulose. Grasses are only consumed when they are germinating and dik-diks have stomach capacities and mass that consist of 8.5–10.0% of body mass when full and 2.2% when empty. Because of the aforementioned facts and their high food requirements, dik-diks feed and ruminate periodically throughout day and night. They consume roughly 3.8% of their body mass daily.

Behavior: