Wildlife Africa- Impala, Behavior, Wildlife, Breedind, Habitat

HABITAT	Areas of short grass with medium or dense stands of bush and a permanent water supply, are the ideal Impala habitat. They avoid, at all costs, areas of tall grass.
HABITS	Being highly gregarious animals, Impala form herds of several hundred individuals. During the mating Season, from April to June, each adult Impala ram establishes it's own territory, and spends the greater part of his time trying to keep the females and their young within the boundaries of his domain, defending it against the intrusion of any other male. At this time, only one ram is seen with each group of females. All young males are evicted from the herd, congregating in "bachelor groups". On defending their territories, males will resort to some characteristic rituals, their nose extended forward, heads down, tails outstretched and uttering awesome snorts, sounding more like a large predator than a small herbivore. If this intimidation process proves not enough, then fight will ensue. So preoccupied both antagonists become with their fighting, that they totally disregard any approaching danger. After the mating season, peace and tranquility returns to the herd, and some of the evicted young males rejoin the herd. Impala are very often seen associated with Giraffe, Kudu, Zebra, Wildebeest and Baboons. With these, Impala avoid associating when the lambs are born, as Baboons are known to prey on young Impala Lambs. Adult Impala can weigh up to 60 Kg. and have a life span of about 14 years. Only Males have horns.
DIET	Impala are both grazers and browsers, feeding on grasses and the leaves, flowers and seed pods of shrubs.
BREEDING	Normally only one lamb is born after a gestation period of about 7 months, and will be strong enough to walk within a couple of hours. Females give birth for the first time at the age of 3 years.

ORDER	FAMILY	Scientific name
Artiodactyla	Bovidae	Aepyceros melampus (Lichtenstein,1812)