Award winning Yorkshire Wildlife Park is celebrating the birth of one of the world’s smallest Antelopes

The species with long limbs and extraordinarily big eyes is the smallest member of the antelope family, growing to a maximum of 16 inches tall and weighing only 13lbs.

Ranger Kyrie Birkett said: “This little chap is so cute that everyone cannot help but stop and admire him. We are so proud to have another addition to our Dik-dik family, which is really thriving.”

“We had actually guessed the new arrival was a male, as so far the male calves seem to be more laid back and the female calves are far more active,” Ms Birkett added.

Dik-diks are native to eastern and southern Africa and get their names from their distinctive and unique calls to one another. They inhabit shrubland and thickets, living off a herbivore diet of leaves, shoots, flowers and fruits but are sadly under threat from poachers who sell their bones for jewellery and their hides for suede gloves.

Dr Charlotte MacDonald, Director of Animals said, “This new addition to our Dik-dik family is a testament to our commitment to wildlife conservation and our ongoing effort to provide a safe environment for these remarkable creatures.”

Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which puts conservation at the heart of all its activities, is part of international conservation efforts to protect Dik-dik populations and raise awareness about their situation.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Auckley, near Doncaster, offers visitors a unique walk-through experience coming almost face to face with some of the world’s most beautiful and at-risk species, including the world’s largest group of Polar Bears, Amur Leopards and Tigers, Black Rhinos and Giraffes.