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The impala or rooibok (Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa.The only extant member of the genus Aepyceros, and tribe Aepycerotini, it was first described to Europeans by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812.
Aepyceros is a genus of African antelope that contains a single living species, the impala. It is the only known member of the tribe Aepycerotini. [1] Two extinct species are known, Aepyceros datoadeni [2] and Aepyceros shungurae. [3] A third species, Aepyceros premelampus has been transferred to a new genus, Afrotragus. [4]
Antelope are not a cladistic or taxonomically defined group. [4] The term is used to describe all members of the family Bovidae that do not fall under the category of sheep, cattle, or goats. Usually, all species of the Antilopinae, Hippotraginae, Reduncinae, Cephalophinae, many Bovinae, the grey rhebok, and the impala are called antelope.
Bovids range in size from the 38 cm (15 in) long royal antelope to the 3.3 m (11 ft) long gaur, which can reach 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) in weight. [1] Over a billion each of domesticated sheep , cattle , and goats , and over 200 million domesticated water buffalo , 14 million domestic yak , and 300,000 domesticated gayal are used in farming worldwide.
Cheetahs tend to target smaller gazelle species (primarily Thomson’s gazelle or springbok) to medium-sized antelope, such as impala or Grant’s gazelle. When hartebeest are hunted by lions, the felines typically prey on adult males, while both spotted hyenas and leopards tend to prey on vulnerable young calves.
A small fast antelope, the Thomson's gazelle is said to have top speeds up to 80–90 km/h (50–55 mph). It is the fourth-fastest land animal, after the cheetah (its main predator), pronghorn , and springbok .
The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a large woodland antelope, found throughout eastern and southern Africa.Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching. [2]
Smaller antelope such as lechwe, duikers and reedbuck are also avoided; the smallest regularly used species is the impala, probably because of the heavy tick load and social nature of that species. In many parts of their range they now feed on cattle, but avoid camels.