Swift-running, graceful antelope ( Aepyceros melampus ) found in large herds, usually near water, on the savannas and open woodlands of central and southern Africa.
Impalas are noted for their jumping ability; when alarmed, they bound off in leaps up to 30 ft (9 m) long and 10 ft (3 m) high. Lightly built, the impala stands 30–40 in. (75–100 cm) high at the shoulder. It has a golden to reddish brown coat, white underparts, a vertical black stripe on each thigh, and a black tuft behind each hind hoof. The male has long, lyre-shaped horns.
Herd of male impalas ( Aepyceros melampus ) in Nairobi National Park, Kenya
James P. Rowan