Impala
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Impala | |
|---|---|
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| A male impala in the Serengeti | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Aepycerotinae Gray, 1872 |
| Genus: | Aepyceros Sundevall, 1847 |
| Species: | A. melampus |
| Binomial name | |
| Aepyceros melampus (Lichtenstein, 1812) |
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An impala (Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized African antelope. The name "impala" comes from the Zulu language.
Description[change | edit source]
The impala is reddish-brown with white hair inside the ears, over each eye and on the chin, upper throat, underparts and buttocks. A narrow black line runs along the middle of the lower back to the tail, and a vertical black stripe appears on the back of each thigh. Impalas have unique brushlike tufts of black hair that cover a scent gland located just above the heel on each hind leg.
The impala can jump more than 10 meters distance and 3 meters high, and can reach running speeds of about 80 to 90 km/h, to escape from predators.
Habitat[change | edit source]
Impalas are found at grassland and woodland edges, usually very close by water.
