The impala is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa, known for its remarkable agility and the distinctive, lyre-shaped horns of the males. It is not a deer, but part of the Bovidae family, which also includes cattle, sheep, and goats. Impalas are highly social animals, forming large herds that can number up to 100 individuals, and are a crucial part of their ecosystem as both herbivores and a primary food source for large carnivores.