Snapshot Serengeti Talk

Impala or Grant's

  • cervidae by cervidae

    What's the best way to identify between an Impala and a Grant's gazelle if you can't use the horns or rump? Like with horns that aren't fully formed or something. Because that's where I keep having trouble. Thomson's are obvious with the black stripe on their side but impalas and Grants look so similar. Is there an obvious size difference or something else I'm missing?

    Posted

  • hayvel by hayvel

    Ok, no head, no rump :

    On side, limit of colors brown and light brown is lower and more strict for impalas.

    Also on side, limit for white color is lower for impalas.

    Inside legs is white for Grants, brown for impalas.

    white patch on chest is bigger for Grants.

    and ...(I don't say it in english 😦 ) look inside the square, it's very different 😃

    enter image description here

    And take care, young Grants have a black stripe on side like Thomsons !

    Posted

  • cervidae by cervidae

    Thank you very much!

    Posted

  • hayvel by hayvel

    As I said, take care, this is not a Thomson !
    ASG00174w4

    Posted

  • Sariemarais by Sariemarais

    Thank you. That is very useful.

    Posted

  • BHamer by BHamer

    Since I just read this discussion earlier today, I thought I'd post a perfect capture showing Grant's gazelle black striping that just came up on my classification page: ASG001d1y3

    A young one showing its prominent black stripe and a young-ish one with its stripe fading, both front and center. Two stripe-less adults in the background, looking like the example photos.

    Posted

  • iamfern by iamfern

    Thanks, very helpful.

    Posted

  • hayvel by hayvel in response to BHamer's comment.

    Hmmmm, I'm sorry but in your example ASG001d1y3 , the " young one (Grant) showing its prominent black stripe " is not a Grant, it's a Thomson ... Grant with black stipe = young = no horns (or small)

    An other point to decide if it's a Grant or not. Grant's have a white patch like a hook over their rumps, and that's only for Grants. You can see also this hook on the first picture I posted here.

    (I hope my english is "understandable" )

    grant's white hook patch

    Posted

  • hayvel by hayvel

    Other comparison Grant/Thomson : ASG00001hc - check the white hook !

    enter image description here

    Posted

  • BHamer by BHamer

    (sigh) Nothing like being publicly wrong. Thanks for the education!

    I must say, I didn't realize the two types of gazelle mingled together. Even after doing a couple or few thousand classifications, I've seen plenty of both but I don't think I've ever seen them together. I think that's part of why I was so ready to call that Thomson's a Grant's.

    Posted

  • DZM by DZM admin in response to BHamer's comment.

    Don't worry about being wrong. It prompts useful learning! 😃

    Posted