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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
impala |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Mammalia |
| ORDER: |
Artiodactyla |
| FAMILY: |
Bovidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Aepyceros
(long, lyre-shaped horns) melampus (black-footed) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
The
impala is a medium-sized antelope with a dark brown
back fading to a medium brown flank and a white
underbelly. |
| MALE |
Only
the males have horns |
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| SIZE: |
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| MALE |
58-70
cm (23-28 in.) |
| FEMALE |
58-64
cm (23-25 in.) |
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| WEIGHT: |
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| MALE |
45.5-79.5
kg (100-175 lb.) |
| FEMALE |
Smaller
and lighter than males |
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| DIET: |
Includes
grasses, herbs, shrubs, and fruits |
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| GESTATION: |
Gestation
lasts approximately 6-7 months; female typically
gives birth to a single offspring |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
Approximately
13 months, but rarely reproduces before 2 years |
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| RANGE: |
Southern
and Eastern Africa |
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| HABITAT: |
Inhabits
dry forests, gallery forests, level and mountain
country |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
Unknown |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Lower
Risk/Conservation Dependent |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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| 1. |
To attract a mate, the male impala's neck swells
and a strong secretion covers head and neck. Both
sexes have scent glands located above their rear
hooves, marked by black tufts. |
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| 2. |
Although its physical dimensions are indicative
of a large gazelle, certain details of its anatomy
and behavior causes the impala to be classified
in a group of its own. Specifically, its gregarious
nature and tendency to inhabit relatively dense
brush separate it from the gazelle tribe. |
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| 3. |
The impala's ability to both graze and browse allow
it to live in greater numbers as a result of a larger,
more reliable food supply to choose from. Medium-sized
antelope do not have this choice. |
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| 4. |
Amazing
jumpers, impalas are able to take bounds of almost
40 feet, up to 10 feet high. When under attack from
predators within pouncing range, the herd scatters
in every direction in order to confuse the predator. |
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| 5. |
More
dependent on vocal communication than most other
antelope, the impala is capable of guttural grunts
and roars that are audible up to a mile away. This
is likely an adaptation to their tendency to utilize
more closed environments. |
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| 6. |
Males
maintain a territory, rather than a set herd into
which they try to attract mates. In fact, males
can spend up to one-quarter of their day trying
to round up receptive females, which greatly reduces
the time he spends feeding. This energy consuming
activity usually gives a male reign for only 3 months
before he becomes too weak to ward off competitors.
However, males usually prefer the same territorial
areas they first won so after recuperating in bachelor
herds, they will try to regain their former territory.
Thus, the male that replaces the current head of
the area is usually the former leader. |
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| Impalas
are an important food source for many larger predators,
especially cheetahs, lions, hyenas, etc. Young impalas
may be taken by birds of prey such as Martial eagles.
These
animals are probably the most common and most
commonly seen antelope in eastern Africa. One
subspecies, the black-faced impala is endangered,
but both species suffer from over-hunting.
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|
|
Estes, R.D. The Safari Companion: A Guide to
Watching African Mammals. Vermont: Chelsea Green
Publishing Co., 1993. |
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Gotch, A.F. Mammals-Their Latin Names Explained.
Poole, U.K.: Blandford Press Btd., 1979. |
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Nowak, R. (ed.). Walkers Mammals of the World.
Vol. II, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University
Press, 1991.
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| Parker,
S.P. (ed.). Grizmek's Encyclopedia of Mammals.
Vol 5. New York: McGraw Hill Pub. Co., 1990. |
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