Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope Endangered Species Sonoran Pronghorn Antelope

Where do they live? Pronghorn Antelope live in the deserts of Arizona and are found nowhere else in the world.

What is their niche? They are diurnal: active in mornings and evenings. Their diet consists of grasses, shrubs, weeds, and cacti. Predators include coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and eagles. Nomadic with seasonal migrations. Winter in large herds of both sexes, separate into male and female herds in the spring.

What are their adaptations? Hollow hair provides insulation. Powerful legs allow them to run at speeds of up to 60mph. Keen eyesight to detect predators. Horns on males and females have a sheath that is shed once a year. Can raise the hair on their rumps to alert herd of danger!

What is threatening the Pronghorn’s survival? Habitat loss is the major threat. Pronghorn cannot leap fences, so rangeland has hampered their migration. Livestock overgrazing destroys habitat. Diseases introduced by livestock have caused numbers to decline. Damming causes the diversion of rivers leading to limited water supply for the antelope.

Habitat Loss

What is being done to help? Strict Hunting Limits Antelope Foundation works to raise the bottom rung of barbed wire fences so the antelope can crawl underneath. Almost all Sonoran Antelope were gone from AZ before they were re-introduced in 1961 and a refuge was established to protect them from the livestock damage. Water is being provided in remote areas.

Pronghorn Pics