About the Impala
Impalas are medium-sized, highly athletic antelopes native to the savannas and light woodlands of eastern and southern Africa. Recognizable by their slender legs, reddish-brown coats, and contrasting white underbellies, they are renowned for their incredible agility. They can leap up to 10 feet into the air and cover distances of over 30 feet in a single bound, a spectacular defense mechanism used to evade apex predators like lions and cheetahs.
These herbivores are highly adaptable feeders, shifting between grazing on grasses and browsing on shrubs depending on the season. To survive in the dry African bush, impalas can go for extended periods without drinking open water, getting the moisture they need directly from the vegetation they consume. Their social structure varies; females and young gather in large nursery herds, while adult males fiercely defend territories during the breeding season.
Impalas play a vital ecological role in the savanna food web. Because they are abundant and highly visible, they serve as a staple prey source for numerous predators, earning them the nickname “fast food of the bush.” To survive this constant threat, they rely on keen eyesight, large omnidirectional ears, and safety in numbers, often grazing alongside other watchful species like zebras and baboons.
Description of the Impala
- Size and Weight: Impalas stand 28 to 36 inches tall at the shoulder. Males typically weigh 117 to 168 lbs., while females are lighter, weighing 88 to 117 lbs.
- Coat Coloration: They have a two-tone coat featuring a rich reddish-brown back that fades into a lighter, tan color on the flanks, sharply contrasting with a clean white underbelly.
- Facial and Head Features: They have large ears tipped with black, white rings around the eyes, and a light chin and snout.
- Distinctive Markings: A narrow black stripe runs along the lower back to the tail, and striking vertical black streaks mark the back of each thigh.
- Legs and Tail: They have long, thin, and powerful legs designed for leaping. They feature a bushy white tail with a solid black stripe down the middle.
- Horns: The species is sexually dimorphic. Females are hornless, while males grow elegant, slender, and heavily ridged lyre-shaped (U-shaped) horns that can reach 18 to 36 inches in length.
- Scent Glands: They possess unique scent glands hidden by a brush of black hair located just above the heel on their hind legs, which they use to release scent trails when fleeing predators.
Impala Color Variants
The common impala features a standard reddish-brown coat with pale tan flanks and a white underbelly. However, selective breeding and natural genetic mutations have produced several striking color variants in southern Africa, primarily including black, white-flanked, saddleback, dappled, and white impalas.
The black impala is the most common color variant sought after by hunters at this point in time.
Namibia has a subspecies named the black-faced impala.
Suitable Weapons
Any long range cartridge from .243 win up to any of the .30 caliber rifles will work great.
Hunting Area
You can hunt impala in the following locations:
- South Africa: The Limpopo Province is globally renowned for producing the largest trophy impalas. Coastal properties in the Eastern Cape are also popular for mixed-bag plains game hunts.
- Namibia: Famous for producing excellent common impalas, and it is the only country where the unique Black-faced Impala can be legally hunted.
- Tanzania: Known for the East African Impala, which typically grows larger trophies. Hunting here is more expensive and requires specialized safaris.
- Other Countries: Legal, high-quality hunting opportunities are also readily available in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and Mozambique.
Restrictions
You can not legally import the black-face impala into the United States.
