Posted April 4, 2024 in New Arrivals
Spring has officially sprung with the arrival of a Kirk’s dik-dik calf
On 21st March, our female Kirk’s dik-dik, Daenerys, gave birth to a single calf! Daenerys is already an experienced mum after having previously given birth to eight calves.
This new arrival was sired by our male Kirk’s dik-dik calf, Demetri, who is father to all of Daenerys children, proving that the pair have a great bond.
The young calf has settled in well and has since been sexed as male by the Animal Care Team but is yet to be named.
The Kirk’s dik-dik is one of the smallest members of the antelope family, measuring a maximum of 45cm high at the shoulder with a maximum body length of just 80cm! This species comes from eastern and southwest Africa and likes to eat shoots, twigs, leaves, fruits and flowers. In the wild, they are so well adapted to the conditions of the African bush that they do not need to drink. Instead, they get all the water they need from the plants they eat! The Kirk’s dik-dik is currently classed as ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
