For the more information about the geologic resources of the National Park Service, please visit https://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/.
Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana)
Pronghorn are North America's only endemic ungulate with some 20 million years of evolution concentrated solely in North America. After decades of heavy market hunting in the 1900s, populations are recovering. Many pronghorn migrate seasonally to escape deep snow and access food, but migration pathways are disappearing in some areas.
Pronghorn in Grand Teton National park must now pass through migratory bottlenecks no more than 650 feet (200 m) wide due to development in and around their transitional ranges.
As one of the fastest land mammals in the world, pronghorn depend on their speed and acute vision to protect them from predators. Thus they migrate through open grasslands where they can see and run. Alternative energy development, fences, roads, and houses pose migratory barriers. Individual populations become isolated from larger herds, resulting in reduced genetic diversity.
More than 15 National Park Service sites are used by pronghorn. Of these, migratory pathways have been identified for only two populations (brown circles). Dotted circles reflect NPS units where studies on specific challenges to and distances of pronghorn migration are lacking.
Pronghorn use these and other national parks:
Last Updated: January 03, 2017