Kirk's dik-dik
Scientific name: Madoqua kirkii
- How weight is recorded: Carcass weight
Field notes
Appearance
A tiny antelope with a distinctive elongated, downturned snout and arched back. Coat is grey-brown to rufous-grey; males bear short, straight horns (3–4 cm) while females are typically hornless. Males appear slightly smaller and more delicate than females.
Size and weight
Adult weight 0.9–1.5 kg; body length 12–16 cm. Females often marginally heavier than males.
Habitat
Kirk's dik-dik favours arid and semi-arid thornbush, acacia woodland, and rocky outcrops from sea level to 2,500 m. They shelter in dense thickets and favour areas with good visibility mixed with cover.
Distribution
Endemic to East Africa, with populations across Kenya, Tanzania, and southern Somalia in scattered thornbush and rocky habitats below 2,500 m.
Diet
Browser and grazer feeding on leaves, shoots, fallen fruits, and grasses, with seasonal shift toward green growth after rains.
Behaviour
Primarily diurnal and crepuscular, moving through dense cover in pairs or small family groups. Highly territorial and vocal, with loud alarm calls; they remain in small home ranges year-round.
Hunting tips
Look for paired, delicate tracks and small droppings clustered near dense thickets and rock outcrops. Approach upwind through broken terrain, using vegetation for cover. Move slowly and listen for alarm calls; glass likely cover from a distance first, as they rarely stray far from dense brush.
Carcass weight
This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 3 countries in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.