Impala
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| Impala | |
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_female_and_young_(11421993164).jpg)
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| A territorial impala ram (top), and ewe with calf (below) | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Aepycerotinae Gray, 1872 |
| Genus: | Aepyceros Sundevall, 1847 |
| Species: | A. melampus
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| Binomial name | |
| Aepyceros melampus (Lichtenstein, 1812)
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| Subspecies | |
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| Distribution:
Black-faced impala
Common impala | |
| Synonyms | |
An impala (Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized African antelope. The name "impala" comes from the Zulu language.
Description[change | change 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 | change source]
Impalas are found at grassland and woodland edges, usually very close by water.
References[change | change source]
- ↑ IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2016). "Aepyceros melampus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T550A50180828. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T550A50180828.en. Retrieved 4 January 2017.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)