Did you know that the bongo is the rarest antelope in Africa? You know, as a long time impala lover you know I adore my antelope… so I couldn’t resist sharing this article with you from We Are Wilderness on some of the coolest antelope in Africa, those with spiral horns. One of the best things about going to new parts of Africa for me is seeing the variation in the four legged critters. I mean if you just look at impala alone, which are found all over the continent, there are several subspecies because their genetics has evolved differently due to geographic separation, AND they look different in various parts of Africa too. The black-faced impala is the best example of this – with the distinct black face making them look unique – but in other parts of Africa the impala are different sizes, the horns may be longer or shorter, and there will be colour variation too. And I’m told that if you go to West Africa, the impala there will have a French accent… Well worth checking out in my view! An impala is not just an impala, you see… Next time you’re out in the wilds of Africa, don’t ignore the many varied antelope that feed the big cats we all love to see. If you’re over in southern Africa at the moment, it’s smack bang in the middle of the impala rut so there’ll be lots of roaring and tail flagging going on, plenty to keep you intrigued as you cruise around the savannah in your open game viewer!
http://www.we-are-wilderness.com/2010/07/05/twisted-and-turned-in-the-horn-spiral-horned-antelope-of-africa/
Photo of common impala, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. Copyright Tammie Matson
