Dik-dik, Adapting To The Heat

Dik Dik, the small antelope, the name origin is due to the fast movement it does when it feels it is in danger, making a characteristic sound. Smaller than many dogs and with a curious nose shape.

This animal lives in the eastern and southwestern areas of Africa, semi-deserts, and scrublands. The adaptations that this mammal has have made it survive in hot and dry environments. Its tawny color is an excellent camouflage in its savanna habitat. Despite being very small, the Royal Antelope is much smaller.

Image 1: They are small-sized animals with surprising resistance to climate change.

The dik-diks are shy animals; if scare, they can run, reaching speeds of more than 25 miles per hour; they perform a surprising zigzag movement to confuse predators. They flee from predators such as lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles, pythons, leopards, and eagles.

They are nocturnal animals to avoid the midday heat. The more adapted dik-diks are the dominant ones, broaden the crest on their heads and have larger muscles.

Several types of Dik-Dik exist in nature. Kirk's dik-dik forms a monogamous couple for life, male and female, who maintains a territory; babies reach full size at seven months of age. A fairly common species and have no reports about environmental impact. It is not so much threatened and is of less concern.

Even with the expansion of agriculture and overhunting, Kirk's dik-dik is still widespread in most areas of its range. There are about 971,000 animals in their natural state. The biggest threats to this species are people; they have long hunted them by setting traps in their paths. The hunting is due to the people use the small bones of the legs and feet in traditional jewelry; their skins work as glove suede; one skin equals one glove.

Image 2: Tanzania is a place where these small antelopes widely distribute.

They have preorbital glands that produce a dark, sticky secretion that employs to mark their territories with scent. The glands are like black spots under the corner of each eye. They are large compared with the small size of the eyes.

In the hot weather, the dik-dik pants its distinctive nose; to cool itself as a cooling mechanism within its snouts that prevents it from overheating. The complex nasal bones, "turbinal" or nasal concha, are modified to reduce the loss of respiratory water. have been previously described as an adaptation to dry environmental conditions.

Dik-diks have been developed even in extreme temperatures up to 37 ° C. With minimal water requirements; they don't need to drink it; they get most of what you need from the dew and the plants you eat.

Although practically all mammals have complex turbinates, not all are amazingly functional to survive in these types of conditions. However, other species also have turbinates bones, similarly to substantially reduce respiratory water loss.

Image 3: Tiny differences improve and distinguish the different Dik-Dik types.

Initially, it is described as an adaptation to dry environmental conditions. But recent data support the conclusion that turbinates did not evolve mainly as an adaptation to particular weather conditions but concerning meeting the requirements of the high ventilation rates typical in all mammals and temperature regulation.

The species of Dik-dik have the name of the person who discovers it. The main species are Günther, Guentheri, Smith, Kirk, and Cavendish. Wild Dik-Dik herds are complex species that look very similar, as they are closely and similar that their differences are often unclear. This species can be very well adapted to extreme temperatures and may have surprisingly fast adaptation levels that could be of interest to many people.

References

• Hillenius, Willem J. “The Evolution of Nasal Turbinates and Mammalian Endothermy.” Paleobiology, vol. 18, no. 1, 1992, pp. 17–29. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2400978. Accessed 16 June 2021.

• National Geographic. Photo Ark: Kirk’s Dik-dik. Biology, Ecology. Link https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/photo-ark-kirks-dik-dik/.

• African Wildlife Foundation. Dik-Dik. Link https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/dik-dik.

• de Jong, Yvonne & Butynski, Thomas. (2017). Distributions in Uganda, Kenya, and north Tanzania of members of the Günther's dik-dik Madoqua (guentheri) and Kirk's dik-dik M. (kirkii) species groups, regions of sympatry, records of aberrant-colored individuals, and comment on the validity of Hodson's dik-dik M. (g.) hodsoni. Gnusletter. 34. 11-20. 

• Adam T. Ford, Jacob R. Goheen, An experimental study on risk effects in a dwarf antelope, Madoqua guentheri, Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 96, Issue 5, 29 September 2015, Pages 918–926, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyv090.