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Gqoyeni Impala Ewe


Gqoyeni Impala Ewe
Photo Information
Copyright: Loot Eksteen (loot) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-02-19
Categories: Mammals, Savannah
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 170-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO Ultra DG, Digital ISO 800, UV 86mm Kenko
Exposure: f/6.0, 1/125 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Mammals of Southern Africa, Wild Life, Animal Portraits II, Wildlife of Africa, Mammals of Africa, !Horns; big, long or otherwise, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park 1, A study in Mammalogy (mammals) 1, Intimate Portraits [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-03-26 17:32
Viewed: 14244
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Impala - Aepyceros melampus

This photo was taken in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.

Distribution
From northeast South Africa to Angola, south Zaire, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya.

Habitat
Found in woodland with little undergrowth and low to medium height grassland. A close source of water is desired, however is not needed when there is abundance of grass.

Description
Mass: 45-60kg
Only the males have S-shaped horns. Both sexes are similarly colored with red-brown hair which pales on the sides. The underside of the belly, chin, lips, inside ears, the line over the eye, and tail are white. There are black stripes down the tail, forehead, both thighs, and ear tips. They have scent glands on their rear feet.

Reproduction
Females are reproductively mature at 1.5 years. Breeding occurs in March to May. Gestation is 194-200 days. The females isolate themselves before calving. The mother and calf will rejoin the herd after 1-2 days. They place the young in crèches which play, groom, and move together.

Behavior
They spend the night ruminating and lying down. The peak activity times for social activity and herd movement are shortly after dawn and before dusk.

Females live in clans within a home range of 80-180 ha. The average size of the female herd is between 15-100 individuals. During the wet season the ranges are heavily defended, but during the dry season there is much overlap between individuals in the clan and even between different clans.

They form distinct social groups during the wet season. Three main organisations are found: territorial males with and without breeding females, bachelor herds of non-territorial adult and juvenile males, and breeding herds of females and juveniles (including young males less than 4 years). During the dry season, males can be found together or mixed with female herds.

The male changes its territory to match the season. During the breeding season the male keeps a much smaller territory which is heavily defended. The male uses a variety of techniques to defend its territory. Tail-raising, forehead marking, forehead rubbing, herding, chasing, erect posture, fighting, and roaring are used.

They use various anti-predatory techniques as well. The most common is to take flight and outrun or confuse the predator. Commonly they will leap up or 3 meters in the air. They often leap up or out in any direction to confuse the predator. A unique characteristic is when they land on their front legs they kick the back legs into the air.

Food
While predominately a grazer, they will adapt to any amount of grass and browse. They feed mostly on grass during times of lush growth and will switch to browse during the dry season.

Status
Endangered. Habitat loss has been linked to their decline. Source.

Post Processing was done with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0.
anavazao, aido, scottevers7, marhowie, Janice, AndyB, coasties, viv, jeanpaul, goutham_ramesh, SunToucher, saguzar, annagrace, firelord, Athila, Shoot_Score, Dyker, Miss_Piggy, Rehanna, betsie has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Shoot_Score: Hornless eweloot 3 01-09 01:35
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Critiques [Translate]

wow,
great macro I can see the fly's! Good colours, composition, details, idea!
Good note!
Thanks Ana:)

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1044 W: 156 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-03-26 17:42]

Hi Loot,
An excellent portrait. Excellent detail, perhaps a little oversharpened for my taste. Colours are perfect and a nice DOF compliments the Impala well. Great work.
Regards,
Adrian

Hi Loot,
Now that is a full frame in your face portrait. I like it! Great colors, clarity, and detail. All the way down to the flies on the Impala. Awesome shot!
Scott

Wow what a close up! Such clarity I can almost count the hairs. I love the reddish coloring against the bright green background, and a super note as well, very well done.

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3277 W: 148 N: 6163] (18832)
  • [2006-03-27 0:58]

Loot, what a pretty lady, such a rich brown colour especially against the BG. And the little flies stand out well too. It is a lovely portrait, well posed by her and captured by you, TFS
Janice

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3089 W: 230 N: 6774] (23770)
  • [2006-03-27 1:32]

What a sharp close-up, Loot.
I can see every hair and every fly, and i want to wave them away.
I love the long eyelashes and the long hair inside her ears.
Her colors are very warm and rich. She is very beautiful and gentle looking.
Are their skins used for different things?
TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1366 W: 32 N: 1351] (3982)
  • [2006-03-27 2:45]

Hello Loot,
A lovely portrait and not a tick in sight!
Good sharp focus and very good DOF.
Very good composition with your subject placed nicely in the frame.
Great shot and a very informative note.
TFS

Hi Loot

You have done a great job on two counts here. A portrait of a beautiful lass and photo of her visitors. Wonderful clear shot showing clear definition of her whiskers. Nice catchlight in the eye too. The OOF BG compliments to shot nicely! :-)

  • Great 
  • viv Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 292 W: 3 N: 653] (3317)
  • [2006-03-27 5:38]

Hi Loot,
They are so lovely the Impalas, you have made a great close up everything is so sharp. Great colours
Thanks
Vivian

Bonjour Loot
C'estune belle prise de vue que tu nous envoies avec ce beau portrait de cet Impala.
Belle composition les détails,la couleur,tout est très bien réussi.
Merci et au revoir....JP

Hello Loot,
Excellent detail and POV in this portrait. Great colors, DOF and framing also. Great job!

Beautiful colors Loot! great close up and framing.
Well done!
Bob

  • Great 
  • zeca Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 373 W: 14 N: 539] (2887)
  • [2006-03-27 10:52]

What a cute guy, Loot! Nice capture! The sharpness is great, as the colours!
Cheers!
Zeca

Hi Loot ,
The picture is crystal clear and a very useful note too , great potrait, Look at its ears both are pointed in different directions, to listen to a slight change in sound!!.
Superb shot and a very good POV :-)
TFS
Goutham R

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 955 W: 0 N: 89] (7805)
  • [2006-03-27 17:45]

Hi Loot.
An excellent portrait with excellent detail.Good sharp focus,POV and very good DOF.
Good job well done.
osse

Hi Loot,
What a lovely portrait of the Impala. The sharpness and color are excellent. It feels like I can almost touch it and help to keep the flys of her nose.
Great shot!
Niek

Hi Loot,
Excellent and illustrative portrait. i love the very good details of hairs. Colours and composition superb, contrast well with BG colours.
cheers
Hernán

PD: I write a reply of your last critique (butterfly)

Stunning capture, I guess that is where the expression "doe eyes" comes from! Wonderful portrait, I have posted a similar one of a deer.

Alli

Great details, you can see every single hair, yet it's not been oversharpened.
Super composition as well.
Very well done.

Hi Loot!

Talking of sharpness, I have nothing to envy you! (It's a french expression, I don't know if it is correctly translated)
Beautifull portrait with extreem sharpness et a beautifully well exposed soft light. POV and cropping are great. Nice composition with more room in front of animal's face.

Excellent picture and TFS.

Am searching for the mate of this ewe!

What a wonderful shot Loot!

I'll be bachhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

;j.

PS I have recently added my Themes.
And took the liberty to add your ewe. Can you find her?

Hallo Loot
I think this image is outstanding, as all your others. The detail of this bucks face is so clear and close, it feels like it is standing right in front of me. The black and white markings on the face, especially around the eye area and inside the ears is really beautiful. You captured this buck in a great pose and the direct eye contact is marvellous. A splendid portrait. Thanks for the usual informative note.
Love
Anna

Ai Loot - hierdie dier het so trotse houding! Perfekte tydsberekening met hierdie foto.
Groete
Betsie

Hello Loot

Ek merk dat die foto taamlik baie besoeke gehad het en kan myself nie indink dat dit nie meer glimlaggies werd is nie. Ek verstaan uiteraard nie mooi hoe hierdie dinge op TN werk nie, maar ag ja, môre sal die son nogmaals opkom en dan sal die rooibokkie steeds nie nodig hê dat die trane hoef te rol oor haar nie.

Jy het jouself al weer oortref met hierdie pragstuk. Die fynste besonderhede is hier vasgevang. Die ooghare, baard, oorhare en natuurlik ook die lyf- en gesighare wys alles in die fynste detail. Die enigste hare wat ek nie kan sien is die hare op die drie klein vlieggies. Die komposisie is inderdaad voortreflik en in sy geheel 'n besondere foto.

Groete
Rehanna

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