No game hunting safari is complete without targeting an impala. Impala and African hunts go together like peanut butter and jelly, and this medium-sized antelope is just as common as your favorite snack! Impala are found from southern Africa to the northern part of eastern Africa. Their conservation status with the IUCN is “least concern.”

They live in habitats of woodlands with some trees, grasslands, and savannas. The best impala hunting grounds in South Africa are the Limpopo and the Eastern Cape provinces.

There are three types of impala:

• East African Impala
• Southern Impala
• Black-faced Impala

Of the three, the black-faced impala is the most common and is endemic to various African countries, including Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, and South Africa. They live in herds that range from only a few members to hundreds of impalas. Ewes and their fawns live in herds with one dominant ram, while young rams live in bachelor herds.

The peak of the rut runs between the full moons in May, with females gestating for 6-7 months and giving birth to one fawn. The young fawn will stay close to its mother for 4-6 months, after which it is weaned. Males leave and join a bachelor herd, while females remain with the herd.

The impala is on the menu for numerous predators, including cheetahs, lions, hyenas, and leopards. Pythons prey on the younger, helpless fawns.