All about impala

Impala (Aepyceros melampus) are one of the most ubiquitous antelope in Southern Africa. They prefer open savanna woodland and are selective grazers and browsers that depend on surface water. A typical herd is made up of ewes, lambs and rams. During the breeding season, rams are territorial, while outside of the breeding season males often form bachelor herds.

Territorial males mark their areas using dung middens, urine and secretions from their metatarsal glands. These scent markings are important for communication and territorial boundaries. Herd size depends largely on the availability of food and water.

Vigilance within the herd is essential for detecting predators – there is safety in numbers. At any given time, one or two members of the herd remain alert rather than feeding or drinking. When danger is spotted, an alarm call alerts the others. As a predator approaches, impalas perform spectacular escape leaps – high jumps of roughly three metres and long bounds of up to 10 metres – allowing them to flee quickly. Impalas are prey for lions, leopards and wild dogs.

Sexual dimorphism is clear in adult animals: males carry lyre-shaped horns, while females do not.

The rut occurs from March to April and is characterised by chasing, horn clashing and guttural, nasal calls. These activities establish dominance and ranking among males in preparation for mating. The gestation period is about six months, after which a single lamb is born – usually at the onset of the summer rains, around early December in the south-eastern parts of Zimbabwe. The synchronised birth of many lambs within a short period provides a survival advantage, as predators cannot catch them all – this ‘predator swamping’ creates a dilution effect.

Lambs rely initially on their mother’s milk. About half survive their first year, with predation being the main cause of mortality. Ewes give birth annually, timing lambing to coincide with the rainy season when food is plentiful, increasing the chances of survival. Shortly after birth, mothers encourage their lambs to stand and move, and they clean away afterbirth to avoid attracting predators.

The impala’s ability to both graze and browse allows it to thrive in large numbers due to a reliable and varied food supply. As a result, impala populations remain stable and abundant across protected private lands and national parks.

It’s wonderful to have the privilege of time on your hands when you are on safari to stop and spend time observing a herd of impala. So often we rush by in pursuit of less common species, but impala are precious jewels in this kingdom’s crown.