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Meet the Dik-dik, an adorable antelope from eastern and southern Africa. This miniature mammal stands 12-16 inches tall and weighs 7-15 pounds. |
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Source of their name |
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They get their name from the nose whistle sound they make when they feel threatened. It sounds like a dik-dik or tzik-tzik sound. You can hear the sound in the video below. |
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Whistle with a purpose |
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The “dik-dik” sound comes from their nose. When danger is sensed, the female Dik-dik makes this noise to warn other game species of impending danger so they know to make a run for it. |
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Compact but not the smallest antelope |
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The smallest antelope is the West African Royal Antelope, which weighs less than 10 pounds and stands at 10-12 inches tall, about the size of a rabbit. |
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Trail of tears |
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Dik-diks use tears to mark their territory. They poke their eyes with grass or twigs so that a special fluid that comes from the black spot in the corner of their eyes runs. |
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They don’t need much water |
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A Dik-dik’s diet is herbivorous and consists mainly of leaves, shoot, and berries. They don’t like grass and get enough water from their diet. In order not to hydrate from the hot African sun Dik-diks sleep in the shade during the heat of the day. |
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Highly sophisticated noses |
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Dik-diks have very strong noses and they are prehensile, meaning they’re capable of grasping things tightly. They also have a special skill: they pant to pump blood through their noses, which cools the blood, and the blood goes right back into the body, refreshed and ready to go. |
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They mate for life |
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Unlike the rest of the animal kingdom, Dik-diks are monogamous. They don’t live in a herd and choose to live in pairs for life. |
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Dedicated to one baby |
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Dik-diks have one baby at a time. Mothers conceal their young after birth and young Dik-diks stay with their mothers for seven months, until they are fully grown. |
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They can run like the wind |
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Due to their diminutive size, Dik-diks have many predators and have adapted by developing fast running speeds in order to survive. Their little legs can help them run as much as 42 miles per hour. |
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| H/T: distractify.com |
