Kirk’s dik-dik
Statut U.I.C.N
Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature
- lc Préoccupation mineure
- nt Quasi menacé
- vu Vulnérable
- en En danger
- cr En danger critique
- ew Éteint dans la nature
- ex Éteint
Carte d'identité
- Classe :
- Mammals
- Ordre :
- Artiodactyla
- Famille :
- Bovidae
- Genre :
- Madoqua
- Espèce :
- kirkii
- Taille moyenne
- 33 to 55 cm
- Poids
- 2 to 6 kg
- Gestation
- 169 to 174 days
One fawn per birth - Habitat
- Arid scrubland, open woodland and rocky valleys
- Régime
- Folivore
The smallest of the antelopes
The dik-dik owes its name to the alarm call it makes when frightened: « dik-dik »! Despite its small size, it can reach nearly 40 km/h to escape a predator.
Threats and conservation
Kirk’s dik-dik is threatened by habitat loss, overgrazing, hunting and predators. To protect it, shrub savannahs and semi-arid areas are being preserved, and sustainable farming and grazing practices are encouraged to limit overgrazing. Laws and surveillance have been strengthened, and local communities are being made aware of conservation and resource management.
Fun fact
The dik-dik can live almost its whole life without drinking: it draws the moisture it needs straight from the plants it eats.
