pronghorn

The pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) is a North American ungulate and the sole surviving member of the family Antilocapridae. Although commonly called an antelope, it is not a true antelope. Pronghorns are renowned for their speed, able to reach about 55 mph (88 km/h) in short bursts and to sustain high speeds over long distances. They inhabit open plains, grasslands, and semi-arid regions across the western United States and parts of Canada and Mexico, and they undertake seasonal migrations between winter and summer ranges when conditions permit.

Adults stand roughly 1 meter at the shoulder and weigh about 40–70 kg, with males typically larger than females. The coat is tan to reddish-brown with a pale underside and a distinctive white rump patch. Both sexes possess horns, which are made of a keratin sheath surrounding a bony core; the horn sheath is shed and regrown annually. The horns are generally longer and more curved in males.

Pronghorns favor open habitats with clear visibility, such as grasslands and sagebrush steppe, and they are highly mobile, historically performing long migrations in response to forage and water availability. Their populations have fluctuated with drought, fire, and land use changes, but the species remains widespread in the western U.S. and southern Canada, with some populations in northern Mexico.

They live in variable herd structures and feed primarily on forbs, grasses, and shrubs, adjusting diet with seasonal availability. They are largely diurnal, rely on keen vision to detect predators like coyotes, and depend on rapid running to escape threats. Reproduction occurs after a late-summer rut; gestation lasts about 6.5 months, typically producing a single fawn that is hidden and then accompanied as it grows. The IUCN Red List classifies the pronghorn as Least Concern, though regional declines have occurred and management practices continue to support habitat and connectivity.