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Impala - Aepyceros melampusThe graceful impala is the most abundant antelope in Botswana. It could possibly be mistaken for lechwe, puku, reedbuck or springbok, but may be identified by the black lines on the rump and tail, the dainty black ankle straps and black patch on the forehead. This perfectly proportioned animal is found extensively in Moremi and Chobe but is replaced by the springbok in the desert areas. Impala do occur side by side with springbok in Nxai Pan where you will find them in the more wooded areas, while springbok prefer the open grass plains. Impala can leap 3 m high and an amazing 12 m long. Generally in Botswana the males are only vigorously territorial during the rut (mating season), which occurs in March and April. During this period impala live in sexually segregated herds, with the exclusion of the male who has to defend his herd from intruding males. As the dry season approaches the males and females become increasingly free to mix but are still sometimes seen in separate herds for the males prefer denser cover than the females. Females outnumber males by nearly two to one and as a result their herds are much larger, numbering up to a hundred females and lambs in some cases. Elephant are often automatically blamed for habitat destruction, but in places like Moremi, where impala numbers are high, research is likely to show that impala play a major role in preventing the growth of new trees as they eat both seeds and seedlings extensively.
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