Rutting Brawl

Lately we have seen an increase in Impala locking horns over dominance.  It is an interesting sight as the rams fight over territory with the sound of horns knocking against each other.

Here the Impala rams are preparing to lock horns.  They carefully align themselves so they do not cause harm to each other while in the brawl.

The male Impala round up any females that enter their territory and include them in their herd.  When another ram enters their territory they surround the females to show that the females are now a part of their harem.  The rut (breading season) usually starts at the end of May in most areas in Africa.  In our part of South Africa the rutting starts in April already, explaining why Ubizane has been seeing our Impala locking horns since beginning April.

 

The main reason apart from dominance, for the Impala to lock horns and fight until one succumbs to the other, is that the rams in the herd want to keep the females with them.  They do not want their females to leave the harem and therefore chase away all weaned or bachelor rams. 

 

The noises they make is a type of roaring-blowing sound as if they were a mix between a lion and a horse.  So if you visit Ubizane during this month, be sure to look out for these sights and listen to the sounds of nature.  You might think it’s a lion but don’t worry it’s only the Impala!