Impalas are medium-sized antelopes found across eastern and southern Africa. As herbivores, their diet consists entirely of plant matter. They possess remarkable adaptability in their feeding habits, adjusting what they consume based on availability to thrive in various environments.
Their Primary Food Sources
Impalas are classified as mixed feeders, capable of both grazing on grasses and browsing on the leaves, shoots, and twigs of shrubs and trees. Their diet typically includes monocots, dicots, forbs (herbaceous flowering plants), fruits, and acacia pods when available. They show a preference for softer, more nutritious grasses, such as Digitaria macroblephara, generally avoiding tougher, taller varieties like Heteropogon contortus and Themeda triandra.
Their ability to switch feeding strategies is supported by their digestive system. Impalas are ruminants, possessing a four-chambered stomach that efficiently extracts nutrients from varied plant material. Their mobile lips allow them to selectively pick specific plant parts, especially useful when browsing.
How Their Diet Changes With Seasons
The diet of impalas significantly changes with the seasons, directly reflecting the availability and quality of vegetation. During the wet season, when grasses are abundant and lush, impalas primarily graze on fresh, young grass shoots. This period provides a rich supply of nutrients, enabling them to build energy reserves, and the high moisture content in the grasses also contributes to their hydration.
As the environment transitions into the dry season, grasses become less available and lose nutritional value. Impalas then shift their feeding behavior to increased browsing, consuming more leaves, shoots, and fruits from shrubs and trees. Woody dicots, for example, become a more significant part of their diet.
Beyond Food What Impalas Need
Impalas have specific requirements for water to sustain their metabolism. They are water-dependent animals and typically prefer to remain near water sources, often drinking daily. During the wet season, the high moisture content in fresh grasses helps meet their hydration needs, reducing reliance on direct drinking.
As the dry season progresses and vegetation becomes drier, impalas increase their frequency of drinking from water sources. They can also obtain water from dew-laden plants or from succulent vegetation. To fulfill their mineral needs, impalas may seek out natural mineral licks or obtain trace elements from the soil.