Overview
It is a subspecies of salt dik-dik, and salt dik-diks are somewhat larger than the other short-snouted races, but have slightly smaller horns. The overall color is drab. The shoulders, back and hindquarters are a grizzled tawny gray. The flanks are gray, the legs are sandy, and the underparts are white. The head tuft, back of ears, and face are rusty red.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Madoqua
- Species
- Madoqua saltiana
Habitat
Arid bush and semidesert thickets. Distribution- most of the eastern coast of Somalia.
Diet
This animal both grazes and browses, based on seasonal availability.
Behavior
Dik-diks have well-developed sight, scent, and hearing. When dik-diks feel they’re in danger or hear the alarm calls from other animals, they hide instead of fleeing from predators. And when frightened or disturbed, dik-diks make a whistling sound through the nose that sounds like “zik-zik,” and this is probably how they got their name. Dik-diks mate for life and live together in low bush areas along dry, rocky stream beds. They are rarely seen apart from their partners. Mostly nocturnal, dik-diks avoid the heat of day; this also helps them prevent unnecessary water loss.
Hunting
Mainly spot and stalk methods. Often a high caliber solid bullet is prefered due to its passing through without expansion, causing little damage to the meat and hyde. Often taken as a chance occurance while pursuing other species.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.