Nyala live in groups of up to 10 individuals that may be mixed or may contain only females or only males. Old males usually live alone. Females often remain near their mothers when they have their offspring, so the relationships in female herds may be considered relatively closer than that of males. Herds usually feed and drink water together. Nyala are not territorial animals and the home ranges of males are approximately equal to that of females and overlap extensively. Nyala are active mainly in the early morning and late afternoon. They browse during the day if temperatures are 20-30 °C (68-86 °F) and during the night in the rainy season.
During the hot hours of the day, these antelopes usually rest in thick bushes. They are very shy in nature, and like remaining hidden rather than coming out in the open. Most sightings of nyala in the wild are at water holes. But nowadays they are becoming less shy and often come out in the sight of tourists. Alert and wary in nature, nyala uses a sharp, high, dog-like bark to warn others in a group about the danger. This feature is mainly used by females. They also react to the alarm calls of impala, baboon, and kudu.
