---
title: "What the sources say about the Impala | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "44 claims from the Impala profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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---

# What the sources say about the Impala (*Aepyceros melampus*)

> 44 claims from the Impala profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Impala](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/impala/)

## Aepyceros melampus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T550A50180828.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-2.rlts.t550a50180828.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). (note: IUCN assessment 2016; category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List) |

## Aepyceros melampus (impala). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Aepyceros_melampus/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| scent glands under black hair on its hind feet | also have scent glands on their rear feet beneath patches of black hair |
| Woodland with little undergrowth and low to medium grassland | The impala is found in woodland which contains little undergrowth and low to medium height grassland. |
| from northeast South Africa to Angola, Uganda and Kenya | The impala is found from northeast South Africa to Angola, south Zaire, Rwanda, Uganda,and Kenya. |
| Mostly grass after the rains, switching to browse in the dry season | Impala feed mostly on grass during times of lush growth following the rains and will switch to browse during the dry season. |
| To confuse a predator, impala often leap up or out in any direction | They often leap up or out in any direction to confuse the predator. |
| a leap can end with the animal landing on its front legs and kicking its back legs into the air | impala land on their front legs and kick the back legs into the air |
| Animal Diversity Web gives 45 to 60 kg | 45 to 60 kg |
| The coat is red-brown, paler on the sides, with white on the belly, chin and tail | Both sexes are similarly colored with red-brown hair which pales on the sides. The underside of the belly, chin, lips, inside ears, the line over the eye, and tail are white. |
| black stripes down the tail, forehead and thighs | There are black stripes down the tail, foreheard, both thighs, and eartips. |
| Only males have horns. They are S-shaped, heavily ridged and 45 to 91.7 cm long | only the males have S shaped horns that are 45 to 91.7 cm long. These horns are heavily ridged |
| Patches of black hair on an impala's hind feet cover scent glands | scent glands on their rear feet beneath patches of black hair |
| Female herds average 15 to 100 animals, depending on the space available | The average size of the female herd is between 15-100 individuals depending on space available. |
| In the wet season, males split into territory holders and bachelor herds | Impala form distinct social groups during the wet season. Three main organizations are found: territorial males with and without breeding females, bachelor herds of non-territorial adult and juvenile males |
| Owners defend it with tail-raising, forehead marking, chasing, fighting and roaring | Tail-raising, forehead marking, forehead rubbing, herding, chsing, erect posture, fighting, and roaring are used. |
| there is usually only one calf | Usually there is only one calf. |
| Gestation lasts 194 to 200 days | Gestation is 194-200 days. |
| calves join creches, groups of young that play and move together | Impalas place the young in creches which are groups of young that play, groom, and move together. |
| Impala are ruminants that eat mostly grass after rain and switch to browse in the dry season | Impala are ruminants. ... Impala feed mostly on grass during times of lush growth following the rains and will switch to browse during the dry season. |
| Animal Diversity Web gives a range of 45 to 60 kg | 45 to 60 kg |
| Only males carry horns, which measure 45 to 91.7 cm | only the males have S shaped horns that are 45 to 91.7 cm long |
| They are ruminants, mostly grazers | Impala are ruminants. ... While predominately a grazer |
| They eat mostly grass while it grows lush after rain and move to browse, meaning leaves and twigs, in the dry season | Impala feed mostly on grass during times of lush growth following the rains and will switch to browse during the dry season. |
| it often springs up or out in any direction to confuse a predator | They often leap up or out in any direction to confuse the predator. (note: vibe.reason) |

## Aepyceros melampus (Impala). Ultimate Ungulate.

https://ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Aepyceros_melampus.html

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| leaps often carry it over bushes and even other impala | often over bushes and even other impala |
| Leaps that can span over 9 metres, often over bushes and even other impala | these jumps may span over 9 meters / 30 feet and may be 2.5 meters / 8 feet high - often over bushes and even other impala |
| The impala's best-known move is the jump | Prodigious leaps are the most well known feature of the impala's movement. |
| A leap may run over 9 metres (30 feet) long and 2.5 metres (8 feet) high, and often sails over bushes and even other impala | these jumps may span over 9 meters / 30 feet and may be 2.5 meters / 8 feet high - often over bushes and even other impala |
| it flees into dense vegetation instead of out across open grassland | the impala flees into dense vegetation rather than out into the open grassland |
| Its main predators are lion, leopard, Cape hunting dog, spotted hyena, crocodile and python | Main Predators : Lion, leopard, Cape hunting dog, spotted hyena, crocodile, python. |
| head-and-body length of 120 to 160 cm | Body Length : 120-160 cm |
| stands 75 to 95 cm at the shoulder | Shoulder Height : 75-95 cm |
| Ultimate Ungulate 40 to 80 kg | Weight : 40-80 kg |
| about a third of adult males hold a territory of 0.2 to 0.9 square kilometres, marked with urine and dung | About 1/3 of adult males hold territories, which vary in size from 0.2-0.9 square kilometers. These territories are marked with urine and feces |
| Jumps of more than 9 metres (30 feet) in length and around 2.5 metres (8 feet) in height have been reported, and they often clear bushes and even other impala | these jumps may span over 9 meters / 30 feet and may be 2.5 meters / 8 feet high - often over bushes and even other impala |
| An impala's leaps may span over 9 metres | these jumps may span over 9 meters / 30 feet (note: vibe.reason) |

## AnAge entry for Aepyceros melampus. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Aepyceros_melampus

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| the AnAge database an average adult weight of 52.5 kg | Adult weight 52,500 g (note: 52,500 g converted to 52.5 kg) |
| In captivity, one animal lived at least 25.6 years | One captive specimen lived at least 25.6 (note: AnAge maximum longevity 25.6 years (captivity)) |
| The maximum longevity in the AnAge database is 25.6 years, from a captive animal that lived at least that long | Maximum longevity 25.6 years (captivity) ... One captive specimen lived at least 25.6 |

## Welsch et al. (1998). Cutaneous glands of male and female impalas ( Aepyceros melampus ): seasonal activity changes and secretory mechanisms. Cell and Tissue Research.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s004410051068

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| a study of those glands suggests they probably play a social role, helping herd members keep or regain contact | the metatarsal glands have a more general, probably social role maintaining and restoring contact between herd members (note: metatarsal glands are the glands on the hind foot bone; the study is of impala cutaneous glands) |
| a male's forehead glands change with the seasons, with the highest cellular activity during the rut, the breeding season, which fell in April and May | The glands of the male forehead show marked seasonal changes in activity that are correlated with the main phases of the reproductive cycle, with the highest cellular activity occurring during the rut in April/May. |
| In females, the forehead glands stay modest and show no seasonal change | The female forehead glands are only moderately developed and do not undergo seasonal changes. |

## Meyer et al. (2008). Hyperthermia in captured impala (Aepyceros melampus): a fright not flight response. Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-44.2.404

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| In a study of 26 impala fitted with temperature loggers, capture caused a sharp rise in body temperature | we surgically implanted 26 impala (Aepyceros melampus) with miniature thermometric data loggers ... they developed a precipitous increase in body temperature. |
| which the researchers put down mainly to stress | capture-induced hyperthermia in impala is caused predominantly by stress |