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Impala

Aepyceros melampus

A graceful reddish-brown African antelope whose males have long S-shaped horns.

🦌 Antelopes
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About the Impala

Impalas live in open woodlands and grasslands from South Africa to Kenya, usually near water. They are red-brown with a white belly and black stripes on the tail, forehead and thighs. Only males have horns, which are heavily ridged, S-shaped and up to about 3 feet long. Impalas graze on grass after the rains and switch to browsing leaves in the dry season.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Aepyceros melampus[1]
Lifespan
About 13 to 15 years in the wild.[1]
Diet
Herbivore. Grass in the wet season and leaves in the dry season.[1]
Habitat
Open woodland and short to medium grassland, usually near water.[1]
Where it lives
Southern and eastern Africa, from South Africa to Kenya.[1]
Group life
Female herds of 15 to 100. Active during the day.[1]
Babies
Pregnancy lasts about 194 to 200 days.[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]

Fun facts

  • Only male impalas have horns.[1]
  • Impala horns can be up to about 3 feet long.[1]
  • Impalas have no upper front teeth.[1]

Vocabulary

ruminant
A hoofed animal that chews cud and has a stomach with several chambers.
grazer
An animal that eats mostly grass.
browser
An animal that eats leaves, twigs and shoots from bushes and trees.
herd
A large group of hoofed animals that live together.
diurnal
Active mainly during the day.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan. “Impala (Aepyceros melampus).” https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Aepyceros_melampus/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Aepyceros melampus (Impala).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/550/50180828 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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