Precious baby dik-dik named Pistachio born at Chessington World of Adventures

Move over Moo Deng, there’s a new baby animal that’s claiming the title of cutest arrival.

Chessington World of Adventures Zoo is delighted to announce the arrival of a precious new member of their wildlife family – a beautiful newborn Kirk’s dik-dik, one of the smallest species of antelope.

Born just ahead of Easter, the chocolatiest time of year, the youngling is aptly named Pistachio, taking inspiration from the hottest chocolate product right now – the Dubai pistachio chocolate bar.

The three-week-old baby dik-dik was born at the end of March to her similarly foodie-named Mum, Farfalle, and Dad, Macaroon, who also live on site at the attraction’s zoo. Chessington’s expert team of zookeepers are closely monitoring the new arrival to ensure she settles into her surroundings seamlessly.

Originating from Eastern and South-Western Africa, Kirk’s dik-diks are one of the world's smallest antelope species, typically only weighing up to 7kg when fully grown. Their unusual name comes from the distinctive ‘dik-dik’ sound they make when alarmed in the wild.

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Rebecca Apperley, Zookeeper at Chessington World of Adventures, said: “Our team is absolutely thrilled to welcome baby Pistachio to our wildlife family here at Chessington.

“At just three weeks old, Pistachio is already settling into our Wanyama Village and Reserve area and captivating the hearts of the zoo's guests and keepers alike. We can’t wait for visitors to meet her and learn more about these wonderful creatures.”

“Visitors at Chessington World of Adventures can catch a glimpse of the heartwarming newborn during the Easter holidays as she settles in alongside her parents, Farfalle and Macaroon.

To meet Pistachio and thousands of other animals at Chessington’s zoo, visit: https://www.chessington.com/explore/events/easter/