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Black-faced impala
Appearance
Ram: Shoulder height 90 cm; tail 28 cm; mass 50 kg; average horn lenght 50 cm
Ewe: Shoulder height 90 cm; tail 28 cm; mass 40 kg
Medium sized, lightly built antilope. Upper parts reddish-fawn becoming paler on sides; chest, belly, throat and chin are white. Tail is white with central black line on upper surface, and each buttock has vertical black blaze. Tuft of black hair on lower rear edge of hindleg is characteristic unique to the impala. Ears are black tipped. Only rams carry the long graceful lyrate horns. The black blaze down the front ot the face is distinctive for the black-faced impala.
Habitat
Open or light savanna woodland, open grassland only when bush cover is available, requires surface water.
Behaviour
Rams are extremely vocal during the mating season and give vent to growls, roars and snorts. They are only territorial during the rut from January to May, spending the rest of the time in bachelor herds. The home range of a breeding herd, consisting of ewes and young animals, may overlap with the territories of several territorial rams. The rams separate harem herds of 15 - 20 ewes (with their young) for mating. This disrupts the composition of the herds but they reunite at the conclusion of the rut. Bachlor herds tend to occupy areas away from the breeding herds. Impala are active mainly during the cooler daylight hours but there is some nocturnal activity.
Food
Short grasses and browse; proportions vary with area and season.
Interesting links
Wikipedia