THE impala has been described as the athlete of the antelope world. He is superbly handsome, clean-cut, muscular and graceful. His immaculate image is enhanced by a coat that is as sleek as burnished bronze.
Latin Name: Aepyceros melampus melampus
Afrikaans name: Rooibok
Distribution
The impala species found in South Africa is the southern impala. Widely distributed throughout South Africa, impala are one of Southern Africa’s most prolific antelope species. Many, if not most, young hunters in Southern Africa’s bush-veld regions have been ‘blooded’ on impala.
Habitat
In their natural distribution range, impala are chiefly savannah woodland and bushveld dwellers. They don’t like open grassy plains, forests or dense coastal bush. Impala are highly adaptable as seen by successful translocations to game ranches around the country.
Impala are non-selective feeders. Not only are they both browsers and grazers, but they eat a wide variety of both feed types. And they are highly adaptable – they will vary their diet from 75% grass and 25% browse, to the reverse of these proportions, depending on the time of year, and the habitat. They also eat seed pods, fruits, berries, etc.
Dependent on water, and often
