Summary

In a nutshell...

Dikdiks are the smallest dwarf antelopes found predominantly in eastern and southwestern Africa. They are distinguished by their long snouts, long hindlegs, short tails, and preorbital glands in the corner of the eye. They are most often found in bush habitats with short sparse grasses, little rainfall (less than 500 mm) and hard soils.They browse on shrubs, leaves, fruits, and thickets, but have been spotted eating tall grasses when the conditions are difficult. Dikdiks live in family groups on well-defined classical territories. Territories are defended by both parents, but mostly by the male. The male uses distinct dominance displays and aggressive behavior to warn other dikdiks from crossing his boundaries. The most common form of marking is with dung middens, which are approximately thirty centimeters in diameter. Ritualized fights do occur between two males when they meet at their boundary markings, but they rarely end in combat. The parents form strong pair bonds that usually last until death. Adult males spend most of their time with the female in order to make sure no other males try to mate with her. Due to their highly selective diets and the high risk of predation pressure, dikdiks are safer traveling in pairs or small groups so that they find food and hide easily. Food and space are two of the necessary resources dikdiks must possess in order to survive the arid, hot temperatures in Africa. Dikdiks are obligately monogamous, in which the males refuse to extra-pair copulate with neighboring females. Females become sexually mature around six to eight months and are ready to produce their first offspring. Males mature around eight or nine months. The gestation period is one hundred seventy four days after which the female goes into oestrus again. The male does not participate much is parental care, but he does groom the young in some cases. The mother is most responsible for nurturing the offspring by suckling, licking, and rubbing on them for short periods of time throughout the day. The mother protects the young by changing his hiding place regularly. Dikdiks usually live to reach the age of ten.

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