Kirk's Dik Dik | Smallest Maasai Mara Antelope

Two Kirk's dik dik seen on safari. The dik-dik's name is derived from its call. When they feel threatened, dik-diks lie low to prevent detection. If they are discovered, they run in a swift, zigzag-like pattern until they reach refuge in a nearby thicket. During this ‘flight’, they emit trumpet-like "zik-zik" calls to raise an alarm or to harass predators and publicize the presence of a mated pair. Dik-diks are some of the world's smallest antelopes, with the largest, the Kirk's dik-dik, standing between 14 and 18 inches tall and weighing no more than 7.2 kg (16 lb). Female dik-diks tend to be 1 to 2 pounds heavier than males. They are dainty creatures with a pointed, mobile snout, large eyes and ears, prominent preorbital glands, pipestem legs, hare-like hind limbs that are significantly larger than their forelimbs, and a vestigial tail. Their coats, depending upon their habitat, range from grey to gray-brown with tan flanks, limbs, and an erectile head crest and whitish eye rings, ear lining, underparts, and rump. Only male dik-diks sport horns, which are about 3 in (8 cm) long, corrugated, and backward-slanted. Horns of male Kirk's dik-diks may be straight or curved backwards from the profile of the face, and the basal half of the horns have seven to nine annular ridges that are frequently covered by the crest. Kirk's dik-diks are sexually dimorphic; females are larger and lack horns, while males sport a more developed muzzle, have a longer crest, and tend to be lighter in color. Filmed on a safari I hosted for Wild Extracts in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya Special thanks to Zebra Plains Mara Camp https://zebraplainscollection.com/ #ZebraPlainsMoments Filmed in 4K UHD resolution using the Sony AX100 video camera: https://go.magik.ly/ml/hory/ Subscribe for more great wildlife clips: http://goo.gl/VdOHuS #Wildlife #Safari #Africa Follow #nowfilming on social networks for LIVE photo updates ROB THE RANGER WILDLIFE VIDEOS on Social Networks: TWITTER: http://goo.gl/U8IQGf INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/robtheranger BLOG: http://goo.gl/yJJ3pT FACEBOOK: http://goo.gl/M8pnJh STEEMIT: https://steemit.com/@robtheranger GOOGLE+: http://gplus.to/robtheranger TUMBLR: http://goo.gl/qF6sNS #YouTubeZA #YouTubeSSA #SAYouTubers Please consider buying a T-shirt or hoodie to support the channel: Official Merchandise Store: https://teespring.com/stores/robtheranger Book A Safari at www.wildextracts.co.ke or email info@wildextracts.co.ke Wild Extracts Safaris Rob The Ranger is a proudly South African Youtuber


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