CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- It may be fall, but there is a new arrival at Brookfield Zoo.
A male Kirk’s dik-dik, one of the world’s smallest antelopes, was born at Brookfield Zoo on Oct. 13, according to the Chicago Zoological Society.
At birth, the not-yet-named male calf weighed just over 1.5 pounds, the zoo said in a statement. He is currently behind the scenes with his mother, Buttons, who is just 2-years old herself.
Behind the scenes, there is a nest site, which is where a newborn dik-dik remains hidden for 10 to 20 days, the zoo said. The dik-dik will nurse for about three to four months; and weaning is attained when the calf reaches a weight of about 4 pounds. Once full grown, the male can weigh up to 14 pounds and measure 14 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder, the Chicago Zoological Society said ina statement.
This small antelope, native to Africa’s Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Angola, and Namibia, got its name from the sound it makes when threatened, as well as after Sir John Kirk, a 19th century Scottish naturalist. Its coat varies in color from a yellowish-gray to reddish-brown. The species can be identified best by its large, striking, dark eyes that are each surrounded by a white ring. Only the males grow short corrugated horns. Additionally, the elongated snout allows a dik-dik to help keep cool by rapidly panting to cool the air, and therefore its body. This system also helps minimize its need for water, according to the Chicago Zoological Society.
The calf at Brookfield Zoo will not be making his public debut until spring 2022, but guests can see an adult pair in their outdoor habitat during regular zoo hours, weather permitting.
Currently, there are 25 Kirk’s dik-diks at 11 accredited North American zoos, including five at Brookfield Zoo.
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