Impala
Young male impala in Serengeti, Tanzania
Female impala in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Bovidae
Subfamily:	Aepycerotinae Gray, 1872
Genus:	Aepyceros Sundevall, 1847
Species:	A. melampus
Binomial name
Aepyceros melampus (Lichtenstein, 1812)
Subspecies
A. m. petersi A. m. melampus
Distribution of the impala Red =A. m. melampus Blue = A. m. petersi

An impala (Aepyceros melampus Greek αιπος, aipos "high" κερος, ceros "horn" + melas "black" pous "foot") is a medium-sized African antelope. The name impala comes from the Zulu language meaning "gazelle". They are found in savannas and thick bushveld in Kenya, Tanzania, Swaziland, Mozambique, northern Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, southern Angola, northeastern South Africa and Uganda. Impalas can be found in numbers of up to two million in Africa.^[2]

Taxonomy[link]

In the past, taxonomists had put impalas in the same tribe as gazelles, kobs and hartebeests. However, it was found that the impala was so different from any of these tribes that it was put in its own tribe, Aepycerotini. This tribe has now been elevated to full subfamily status.

Usually, two subspecies are distinguished, which is supported by mitochondrial DNA analysis:^[3]

• Black-faced impala - Aepyceros melampus petersi
• Common impala - Aepyceros melampus melampus

Appearance[link]

A mature impala ram in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania

Impala range between 75 and 95 cm (30 and 37 in) tall. Average mass for a male impala is 40 to 80 kg (88 to 180 lb), while females weigh about 30 to 50 kg (66 to 110 lb). They are normally reddish-brown in color (hence the Afrikaans name of "Rooibok", not to be confused with rhebok), have lighter flanks and white underbellies with a characteristic "M" marking on the rear. Males, referred to as rams, have lyre-shaped horns, which can reach up to 90 centimeters in length. Females, referred to as ewes, have no horns. The black impala, found in very few places in Africa, is an extremely rare type. A recessive gene causes the black colouration in these animals.

Ecology[link]

Impala leaping in Kenya

Impalas are an ecotone species "living in light woodland with little undergrowth and grassland of low to medium height".^[4] They have an irregular distribution due to dependence on relatively flat lands with good soil drainage and water.^[4] While they stay near water in the dry season, they can go weeks without drinking if there is enough green fodder.^[4]

Impalas are adaptable foragers. They usually switch between grazing and browsing depending on the season. During wet seasons when grasses are fresh they graze.^[4] During dry seasons they browse foliage, shoots, forbs and seeds.^[4] They may switch between grazing and browsing depending on the habitat.^[5] Leopards, cheetahs, lions and wild dogs prey on impala.

Impala, as well as other small- to medium-sized African antelopes, have a special dental arrangement on the front lower jaw similar to the toothcomb seen in strepsirrhine primates,^[6] which is used during grooming to comb the fur and remove ectoparasites.^[7]

Social structure and reproduction[link]

Male impalas rutting (fighting during the breeding season)

Females and young form herds of up to 200 individuals. When food is plentiful, adult males will establish territories. Females pass through the territories that have the best food resources.^[8] Territorial males round up any female herds that enter their grounds,^[4][8] and will chase away bachelor males that follow.^[4][8] They will even chase away recently weaned males. A male impala tries to prevent any female from leaving his territory. During the dry seasons, territories are abandoned, as herds must travel farther to find food. Large, mixed tranquil herds of females and males form. Young male impalas who have been made to leave their previous herd form bachelor herds of around 30 individuals. Males that are able to dominate their herd are contenders for assuming control of a territory.

Aepyceros melampus petersi, female (Namibia)

The breeding season of impalas, also called rutting, begins toward the end of the wet season in May. The entire affair typically lasts approximately three weeks. While young are usually born after six to seven months,^[9] the mother has the ability to delay giving birth for an additional month if conditions are harsh. When giving birth, a female impala will isolate herself from the herd,^[9] despite numerous attempts by the male to keep her in his territory.^[10] The impala mother will keep the fawn in an isolated spot for a few days or even leave it lying out in hiding for a few days, weeks, or more before returning to the herd.^[4] There, the fawn will join a nursery group and will go to its mother only to nurse or when predators are near.^[4] Fawns are suckled for four to six months.^[4] Males who mature are forced out of the group and will join bachelor herds.^[4]

When frightened or startled, the whole herd starts leaping about to confuse their predator. They can jump distances of more than ten meters (33 ft) and three meters (9 ft) high. Impalas can reach running speeds of about 90 km/h (56 mph),^[11][12] to escape their predators. When escaping from predators, they can release a scent from their glands on their heels, which can help them stay together. This is done by performing a high kick of their hind legs.^{[citation needed]}

Status[link]

The common impala is one of the most abundant antelopes in Africa, with about one-quarter of the population occurring in protected areas.^[1] The largest numbers occur in areas such as the Masai Mara and Kajiado (Kenya); Serengeti, Ruaha and Selous (Tanzania); Luangwa Valley (Zambia); Okavango (Botswana); Hwange, Sebungwe and the Zambezi Valley (Zimbabwe); Kruger National Park (South Africa) and on private farms and conservancies (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia).^[13] The rare Black-faced impalas survive in Etosha National Park and private farms in Namibia.^[1]

Gallery[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikispecies has information related to: Aepyceros

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aepyceros

• Impala: summary from the African Wildlife Foundation

lez:Импала

Tame Impala
Tame Impala at the V Festival, 2009
Background information
Origin	Perth, Western Australia
Genres	Psychedelic rock, Neo-Psychedelia
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Modular Recordings
Associated acts	The Dee Dee Dums Pond Mink Mussel Creek Space Lime Peacock Giant Tortoise Allbrook Avery
Website	http://www.tameimpala.com/
Members
Kevin Parker Dominic Simper Jay Watson Nick Allbrook

Tame Impala is the psychedelic rock project of Kevin Parker^[1] from Perth, Australia. They are signed to Modular Records. The band came to prominence in 2010 with the release of their debut album, Innerspeaker. Their name refers to the impala, a medium sized antelope.^[2] They like to see themselves as "a steady flowing psychedelic groove rock band that emphasizes dream-like melody."^[3]

Biography[link]

Early Career[link]

Tame Impala were formed from Kevin Parker's original blues/jazz/psychedelic band, the Dee Dee Dums. The Dee Dee Dums consisted of Parker (drums ) and Luke Epstein (guitar), with the band getting second place at the 2005 AmpFest^[4] and winning third place that year in the state final of The Next Big Thing.^[5] In October 2006 Epstein was replaced by drummer Sam Devenport, Epstein going on to play with Sugarpuss. The Dee Dee Dums went on to win the WA state final of the National Campus Band Competition.^[6] In late 2007 the band renamed to Tame Impala unveiling another new drummer and replacing the two-guitar attack for the more traditional guitar/bass/drums format. Devenport went on to pursue an acting career.^[7]

In July 2008 the band signed a worldwide deal with independent label Modular Recordings.^[8]

[edit] Tame Impala EP

The signing was soon followed by the release on their self-titled debut EP in September 2008.^[9] Due to Kevin Parker's original artwork there was some confusion with the EP title and many believed it to be called Antares Mira Sun.^[10][11] The artwork is an interpretation of a slide he saw in an astronomy lecture, which demonstrated the difference in size between the stars Antares, Mira and the Sun.

The cover art is meant to be a painting; an interpretation of a diagram, so those labels are just there to make the diagram make sense. But lo and behold, there were reviews coming out saying "And Tame Impala's new EP 'Antares, Mira, Sun".

—Kevin Parker^[12]

Tame Impala went to number 1 on the Australian Independent Record Labels (AIR) Chart and number 10 on the ARIA Physical Singles Chart,^[13] with three songs, "Desire Be, Desire Go", "Half Full Glass of Wine" and "Skeleton Tiger" which received national radio airplay on the Triple J Network.^[14][15] Tours in 2008 included supports for You Am I, The Black Keys, Yeasayer and MGMT, as well as performances at Southbound, Meredith Music Festival, and Falls Festival, as well as a national headline tours in support of their EP. 2009 tours include a sold out 6 date 'Skeleton Tiger' national headline tour, a 5 date UK tour including Nevereverland UK, V Festival, Groovin The Moo and a stadium tour with The Living End and Gyroscope.

Tame Impala appeared on Triple J's Hottest 100 2008, their first appearance on the list, with "Half Full Glass of Wine" reaching number 75. The song is also on the Hottest 100 compilation.^[16][17]

[edit] Sundown Syndrome

Tame Impala’s first single, "Sundown Syndrome", was recorded at Toerag Studios in London, with recording engineer Liam Watson, whilst the band was there in March 2009.^[18] "Sundown Syndrome" was premiered by Richard Kingsmill on his 2009 show on triple j on Sunday 10 May. It was released in July 2009 on vinyl and electronically along with a cover of Blue Boy's "Remember Me".^[19]

The band embarked on a national tour supporting the single through September and October 2009.^[20]

"Sundown Syndrome" was included on the soundtrack of the Oscar-nominated film "The Kids Are All Right."

"Half Full Glass Of Wine" was used in HBO's hit TV series Entourage as the closing song for an episode.

Tame Impala appeared at Big Day Out in early 2010, performing alongside bands Muse, The Mars Volta, Kasabian and Rise Against, among others.

"Remember Me" appeared at number 78 on Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2009.

[edit] Innerspeaker

Tame Impala's debut album, Innerspeaker, was released on 21 May 2010. In the U.K. it's official release date was 28 June, however iTunes accidentally made it available to buy immediately (not pre-order) on 12 May. The album was released in the United States on 8 June to general and critical acclaim. Pitchfork named it Best New Music.^[21]

On a interview with Triple J talking about the album's recent nomination for the J Award, Parker stated that they have secretly been recording a new album. "Jay and I have been recording pretty compulsively and album number two is nearing potential completion already and I'm so excited about it that I'm having trouble keeping myself from telling you all about it." This comes as a big surprise as this statement was released only months after their debut album, Innerspeaker, was released.

The band has been busy touring during mid 2010, with their 'Innerspeaker album tour' commencing on 13 May 2010, as the opening band for MGMT's 2010 American tour. The band returned to Australia to play at Splendour in the Grass festival, which was followed by a European Tour in July (including an appearance at the Reading Festival) and a national Australian tour in October. In November they returned to the UK and Europe for a fifteen date tour, including their largest London headline show to date which was attended by Noel Gallagher, Tom Meighan, Sergio Pizzorno, Noel Fielding, Alexa Chung and Alison Mosshart,^[22] the band then went on to the United States for twenty headline dates including sold out New York, LA and San Francisco. They also received four 2010 ARIA Music Awards nominations which include, 'Album of the Year' and 'Best Rock Album' for Innerspeaker, 'Best Group' and also 'Breakthrough Artist'.^[23]

On 29 November 2010 Tame Impala's debut album "Innerspeaker" won Australian youth-oriented radio network Triple J's highest honor, taking out the J Award for Album of the Year ^[24]

Second Album[link]

On 7 December 2011, Kevin Parker began mixing a new album with producer Dave Fridmann.^[25]

On 2 March 2012, they stated via Facebook that the new album was "finished, mixed, mastered, mooged, broinged, and beeped". Drummer Jay Watson expects it to be released in Mid 2012. Stated in an Interview posted on their website, Kevin Parker said that the next batch of songs "Represents a departure from his previous work by incorporating an expanded sonic palette, more emotional song writing, and a more pronounced narrative perspective." The album, set to be released in October 2012 was created by a similar set up as the debut album, being that Kevin Parker wrote and recorded the great majority of the album by himself at his home in Perth, Australia. ^[26]

In an article published in April 2012 by Triple J Magazine, Kevin Parker revealed some details about the forthcoming, currently untitled second album by Tame Impala. The majority of recording had taken place in France, and as a result, one of the tracks are titled, Un, Deux, Trois. Other song titles revealed are, Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control, and Apocalypse Dreams, one of the first songs Parker has co-written with drummer Jay Watson.

Band members[link]

Live[link]

• Kevin Parker – vocals, guitar, kazoo
• Jay "Gumby" Watson – drums, backing vocals
• Dominic Simper – guitar & synth (previously bass)
• Nick "Paisley Adams" Allbrook – bass (previously guitar & keys)

Studio[link]

• Kevin Parker – vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keys
• Jay Watson – drums, keys, guitar
• Dominic Simper – percussion, bass, guitar, effects

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Innerspeaker - Modular Recordings (21 May 2010) AUS #4^{[27][28][29][30][31]}
• Untitled (TBA) - Modular Recordings (October 2012)^{[32] [33]}

Live albums[link]

• Live at the Corner - Modular Recordings (May 2010)^[34]

EPs[link]

• Tame Impala [H.I.T.S. 003] - Hole in the Sky (August 2008) (12" vinyl)^[35] (limited re-issue April 2009)
• Tame Impala EP - Modular Recordings (September 2008) AUS #82^[36]

Singles[link]

• "Sundown Syndrome"/"Remember Me" - Modular Recordings (July 2009) (7" vinyl)^[37][38]
• "Solitude Is Bliss" - Modular Recordings (April 2010)^[39]
• "Lucidity" - Modular Recordings (July 2010) ^[40]
• "Expectation" - Modular Recordings (December 2010) ^[41]
• "Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind" - Modular Recordings (February 2011)^[42]