while leaves are plucked off by the front teeth and mobile lips. They prefer Commiphora, Acacia, Boscia, Dichrostachys and Maerua species. They often gather in areas with leafy Commiphora stands due to the high water content of their leaves and shoots. In the rainy season, young soft grasses are preferred, while in the dry season they feed on fry fruits, flowers, buds, shrubs, and tall herbs. They choose a wide variety of species for browsing, hence no clear diet specialization is identified. Reproduction Both sexes attain sexual maturity at 12 to 18 months. The species is polygynous. Rutting appears to be related to the onset of the wet season in several parts of the range. Observations in the Naples Zoo show many similarities between the courtship behavior of the dibatag and that of the gerenuk. The male dibatag pursues the female; during the march his body is upright and the nose is held high. The male uses preorbital gland secretions to mark the female on her chest and rump. Flehmen, leg-tapping, urine testing and nosing of female genitalia are notable features of the courtship. Once in close contact with the female, he slowly raises his foreleg between her hindlegs; this is followed by copulation. After a gestational period of six to seven months, a single offspring is born. Parturition usually occurs from September to November, though births have been reported even in June and July. The infant remains in hiding for one or two weeks, with its mother close by. No further information on parental care is available. The lifespan of a dibatag averages 10 to 12 years. Habitat and distribution Dibatag inhabit a mix of different habitat types. They may occasionally visit treelands. They are thought to be more commonly found in areas where Commiphora shrubs grow. They occur within the altitude range of . Habitat preference does not vary significantly with seasons. A study published in 1972 found a greater number of the dibatag in areas rich in red soil. The dibatag is endemic to the evergreen bushland of the Ogaden region of southeastern Ethiopia and adjoining parts in northern and central Somalia. In the past their range extended from the southern parts of northern Somalia through southeastern Ethiopia and central Somalia (between the coastline of the Indian Ocean and bounded by the Fafen River in the west and the Shebelle River in the southwest). Rock paintings of