Colchester Zoo announces the birth of baby Kirk's dik-dik

Kirk’s dik-dik Daenerys has continued to live up to her nickname of “mother of dik-diks” as she gave birth to another calf on August 19.

The adult antelope is an experienced mother with her latest newborn becoming her sixth offspring to date at the Maldon Road attraction.

Zoo bosses say following a successful birth, the young calf has started to find his feet, trying to stand and following his mother so he can suckle.

“The Animal Care Team are delighted at the little one’s progress and have since sexed the calf as male and named him Gregg,” said a zoo spokesman.

Adorable - the Kirk's dik-dik was born earlier this month Picture: Colchester Zoo

The Kirk’s dik-dik is one of the smallest members of the antelope family, measuring a maximum of 45cm high at the shoulder with a maximum body length of just 80cm.

This species comes from eastern and south-west Africa and likes to eat shoots, twigs, leaves, fruit, and flowers.

In the wild, they are so well adapted to the conditions of the African bush that they do not need to drink.

Instead, they get all the water they need from the plants they eat.