Animals Mammals

Impala

SCIENTIFIC NAME:

Aepyceros melampus

PROFILE:

Impalas are medium-sized antelopes that live in herds, which offer protection from predators such as lions. An alert impala will call out an alarm, which notifies the herd to flee. Impalas are fast runners, capable of leaping distances of up to 33 feet to escape predators. Come check out our impalas in the Giants of the Savanna exhibit.

TYPE OF ANIMAL:

mammal, cetartiodactyla (even-toed ungulate)

NATIVE TO:

southern Africa

IUCN CONSERVATION STATUS:

least concern

DIET:

herbivore

LIFESPAN:

estimated at up to 15 years

SOCIAL STATUS:

social; herds