Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Kirk's Dik-dik

Madoqua kirkii

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Its name imitates the sound of its distinctive alarm call. It has a long, mobile snout that helps it shed body heat in its arid habitat.

Weight

2.7 kg – 9 kg

Size

up to 46 cm

Lifespan

4 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Crepuscular

Active above all at dawn and dusk.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaDesertHerbivore Crepuscular In pairs Savanna Desert Mammal

43countries 10parks86same family

Fun facts

Its name imitates the sound of its distinctive alarm call.
It has a long, mobile snout (a proboscis) that helps it shed body heat.
It can survive without drinking, taking all its moisture from the plants it eats.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Arid scrub and thorn savannah of eastern and south-western Africa
Birth weight: 600 grams
Size at birth: Born with its forelegs folded back against its body, unlike most ruminants
Sexual maturity: Female: 6-8 months | Male: 8-9 months
Gestation / incubation: 166-174 days (~5.5-6 months)
Litter / clutch size: 1 young per birth, up to twice a year
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 16.5-18.4 years in captivity

Sources consulted: Marwell Zoo; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); BioDB; Animal Diversity Web; Ultimate Ungulate; iNaturalist; Animalia.bio; Denver Zoo; Encyclopedia of Life; Wikipedia (Kirk's dik-dik)