An antelope with a flexible diet

Meet the impala at the woodland edge

Aepyceros melampus

Notice the impala's curved horns and light-footed movements. Only males have those horns.

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Hear how impalas live

Where grassland meets woodland

Impalas live in African grasslands and open woodland, including East Africa.

Grass and leaves through the seasons

Impalas live in herds and eat grass, leaves and shoots. Switching between grazing and browsing helps them follow seasonal changes in food.

Three things to notice

Only male impalas have horns.
An escaping impala can leap up to three metres high.
Impalas rest and chew cud at night.

Two hunters to watch for

Prey for lions

Impalas can be hunted by lions in grassland and woodland-edge habitats.

Prey for leopards

Impalas are also familiar prey for leopards. Leaping and running can help an impala escape a hunter.

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Meet another species

Lion

Panthera leo

A lion resting under a tree gives us one glimpse of its day. Later, as daylight fades, the pride may become much more active.

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Zebra

Equus quagga

A zebra's coat is covered in stripes, but the pattern is its own. Look beyond the stripes to discover a life spent grazing and moving with other zebras.

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Umbrella thorn acacia

Vachellia spp.

Its spreading crown makes a patch of shade on a sunny plain. For animals, this tree can offer somewhere to rest or something to eat.

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Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

A warthog may lower itself onto its front legs while feeding. A nearby burrow gives this busy forager somewhere to shelter.

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Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

A herd may pause to graze, then move on as food changes with the seasons. In the Serengeti and Maasai Mara, this journey links many parts of the landscape.

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White-backed vulture

Gyps africanus

A vulture circling overhead is searching for food on the ground. Its meal comes from an animal that has already died.

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Giraffe

Giraffa spp.

A giraffe stretches towards a leafy branch. Its neck brings the food within reach, and a long, flexible tongue helps gather the leaves.

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Elephant

Loxodonta africana

An elephant can curl its trunk around a branch or lift water towards its mouth. The same flexible trunk is also its nose.

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Hippo

Hippopotamus amphibius

A pair of eyes, small ears and nostrils may be all you can see above the water. Much of the hippo’s body is resting beneath the surface.

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Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

A cheetah’s chase can begin with a careful approach. Then its long legs carry it across the grass in a sudden burst of speed.

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Sources

Reviewed by Nature Reach on 28/09/2026.