Ready for the next mammal? Check out the Kit Fox. Back to Aridland — Overview.

This small desert antelope has a flexible snout, or proboscis, lined with numerous blood vessels that serves as a heat exchanger. Cooled blood then passes directly to the brain, protecting this vital organ from increased body temperature in the heat of the day.

The dikdik may be active by day or night and is usually about when the moon is full.

It eats shoots and leaves of shrubs and succulents.

Family groups, consisting of an adult pair and their young, live in well-defined territories that they protect from neighboring families.

Dung, urine, and secretions from facial glands are used to mark territorial boundaries and are deposited by each family member. They will also add their own dung to any strong-smelling substance they encounter in their territory.

The male dikdik whistles to warn of danger; different whistles elicit different responses from the female and young: They may run and hide or join together to mob a predator.

>>View the Main Menu<<