Impalas are the middleweights of the antelope world, bigger than the pint-sized duiker but not quite in the heavyweight league. You can spot them roaming the savannas and light woodlands of eastern and southern Africa, often in large, noisy groups. When the rainy season arrives and the land turns green, impalas take full advantage of the buffet. They gather in herds of several hundred to graze on grasses, herbs, shrubs, and fresh shoots like regulars at an all-you-can-eat salad bar. What really makes impalas stand out is their athleticism. They are the parkour champions of the antelope world. With a single bound they can cover up to 33 feet, which is about the length of a school bus. Sometimes this helps them dodge predators, and other times it just looks like they are leaping for fun, as if they are auditioning for some freestyle jumping contest. When it comes to obstacles, impalas hardly notice them. A bush, log, or small tree is nothing more than an invitation to launch ten feet into the air and sail right over. To an impala, it is not “Oh no, something in the way” but “Watch me dunk on this shrub.
