Африкалық дик-дик антилопасы

Genus of antelopes found in Africa
the pop group

A dik dik is the name for any of four species of small antelope in the genus Madoqua that live in the bushlands of eastern and southern Africa. Dik diks stand about at the shoulder, are long, weigh and can live for up to 10 years. Dik diks are named for the alarm calls of the females. In addition to the females' alarm call, both the male and female make a shrill, whistling sound. These calls may alert other animals to predators.

The name dik dik comes from an onomatopoeia of the repetitive dik sound female dik diks whistle through their long, tubular snouts when they feel threatened.

Female dik diks are somewhat larger than males. The males have horns, which are small (about ), slanted backwards and longitudinally grooved. The hair on the crown forms an upright tuft that sometimes partially conceals the short, ribbed horns of the male. The upper body is gray brown, while the lower parts of the body, including the legs, belly, crest, and flanks, are tan. A bare black spot below the inside corner of each eye contains a preorbital gland that produces a dark, sticky secretion. Dik diks insert grass stems and twigs into the gland to scent mark their territories. Perhaps to prevent overheating, dik diks (especially Guenther's dik diks) have elongated snouts with bellows like muscles through which blood is pumped. Airflow and subsequent evaporation cools this blood before it is recirculated to the body. However, this panting is only implemented in extreme conditions; dik diks can tolerate air temperatures of up to .

Dik diks have special physiological adaptations to help them survive in arid environments. For instance, dik diks have a lower density of sweat glands compared to other animals such as cattle. However, dik diks have a lower metabolic rate than would be predicted for their size as a physiological adaptation to heat and aridity. They usually live in pairs in territories of about The territories are often in low, shrubby bushes (sometimes along dry, rocky streambeds) with plenty of cover. Dik diks, with their dusty colored coat, are able to blend in with their surroundings. Dik diks have an established series of runways through and around the borders of their territories that are used when they feel threatened.

Dik diks are herbivores. Their diet mainly consists of foliage, shoots, fruit and berries, but little or no grass. They receive sufficient amounts of water from their food, which makes drinking unnecessary. Like all even toed ungulates, they digest their food with the aid of micro organisms in their four chambered stomachs. After initial digestion, the food is repeatedly eructated and rechewed, a process known also as rumination, or 'chewing the cud'. Dik diks' tapering heads may help them eat the leaves between the spines on acacia trees, and feed while still keeping their head high to detect predators. and conflicts between territorial neighbors are rare. When they occur, the males from each territory dash at each other, either stop short or make head to head contact, then back off for another round, with head crests erected. Males mark their territories with dung piles, and cover the females' dung with their own. surrounded by predators, it is dangerous to explore, looking for new partners. Pairs spend about 64% of their time together. Males, but not females, will attempt to initiate extra pair mating if an opportunity arises.

Dik diks are hunted by leopards, caracals, lions, hyenas, wild dogs and humans. Other predators include monitor lizards, cheetahs, jackals, baboons, eagles, hawks and pythons. Dik diks' adaptations to predation include excellent eyesight, the ability to reach speeds up to , and high birth rates.