Dik-diks are perfectly designed for life in hot, dry places. They barely need to drink water because they get almost all the moisture they need from the leaves and berries they eat. Their big eyes help them spot danger in the low light of dawn and dusk — the times they are most active, when it is cool enough to move around.
Dik-diks live in pairs and mate for life, which is unusual in the animal world. A pair will share a small territory together and mark its boundaries using a special gland under each eye — they rub a dark sticky substance onto twigs to signal 'this is our home'. The male has tiny pointed horns, barely longer than a finger.
When a dik-dik is frightened, it zigzags away at speed, bouncing left and right to confuse any chasing animal. Their pale tan coats blend in with dry grass and sandy soil, making them hard to spot even when you are quite close. A baby dik-dik can run with its parents within hours of being born.