It's easy to take the humble impala for granted. The first day that you visit southern Africa, you ooh and ahh over them. The second day, you're kind of 'uh-huh, there's another herd of impala'. Third day, it's 'out of the way, impala scum, you're blocking the route to the elephant.'
Shame on us all. Impala are beautiful little animals, and it shouldn't matter that they're as numerous as Starbucks in a city centre.
They're called the McDonalds of the plains in reference to the black arches on their rumps, and the fact that they provide a constant source of fast food for just about every large carnivore in their distribution range. In fact, they're the key to survival for all those sexy, photogenic predators that we all long to see so much.
And there are few things as heartwarming as looking into the huge, limpid eyes of an impala. They're the very epitome of the gentle antelope.
They are one of the most acrobatic denizens of the plains, able to make huge leaps of up to 30 feet when escaping yet another hungry cat. But they bear all the danger and stress with a kind of docile stoicism.
So if you're lucky enough to go on safari, don't take the impala for granted. Take the time to appreciate its beauty and grace. Stick around to observe its behaviour and habits. You'll find it's well worth it.
And importantly, there's always the chance that you might see it getting snacked on by something really cool.
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