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Fri, 02/02/2007 - 8:00am
 
Right now (450PM, Feb 2nd, Nkhoro time) a bunch of impalas are out in the open, but they are all bunched together, a majority staring in a single direction, completely still. From TV, I know that they do this when a predator is not too far. The question is, what distance do they generally maintain from an observing predator, and what is their general behaviour when they know the predator is around? Thx
Fri, 02/02/2007 - 3:16pm
#2
Right now (4:50PM, Feb 2nd, Nkhoro time) a bunch of impalas are out in the open, but they are all bunched together, a majority staring in a single direction, completely still. From TV, I know that they do this when a predator is not too far.
The question is, what distance do they generally maintain from an observing predator, and what is their general behaviour when they know the predator is around?Thx Could you hear them making any noise when you saw them? If they all start making a snorting noise (sometimes accompanied by stomping of a foreleg) it usually means that they have detected a predator nearby, if they remain quiet it is possible that they saw something but had not yet determined what it was. Landi
Fri, 02/02/2007 - 12:03pm
#3
 Impala do not maintain any specific distance from predators that I am aware of but will watch them carefully and, if they think that they are about to be attacked, will suddenly take flight. This could be the predator creeping too close or the predator making a sudden move. However, often the impala do not detect the predator until too late - as predators have excellent camoflague and move very stealthily towards their prey. Impala (and other ungulates) will stop and stare not only at an approaching predator but also at any noise or movement that they cannot identify the cause of. It could be something relatively small moving through the grass/bushes or the sudden sound of an approaching elephant, rhino or other larger animal. __________________
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Thank you! fascinating animal behaviour.