Pronghorn
Pronghorns get their name from the small prongs on the front side of the male's backward curving horns. They have pale tan coats, with white fur on their necks, underbelly, and rump. The male is 4 1/2 feet (1 1/2 meters) from head to tail. He is nearly three feet (one meter) tall at his shoulder and weighs between 103 and 154 pounds (46 to 70 kilograms). His horns usually grow to be about 1 1/2 feet (1/2 meter) long. The female pronghorn is smaller than the male and her horns only grow to be about two inches (5 centimeters) tall. Both males and females shed their horns each year and grow new ones.
Pronghorns wander in herds on the open grassy areas and bushlands of the western United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico. Pronghorns are herbivores. They like to eat herbs, shrubs, grasses, and other plants. They sometimes eat cacti. Pronghorns wander up to 10 miles (16 kilometers) a day in search of food and water. During the winter months, they dig down through the snow and eat the grasses hidden underneath. When water is scarce, they get the moisture they need by eating cactus plants which hold a great deal of water.
Breeding season for the pronghorns begins in the spring, with mating season following in the fall. In the spring, the herds separate according to age and sex. The females stay in small herds and the males go to their breeding territories. Older males often use the same breeding territory every year. The males mark their territories with a scent produced from glands below their ears. Once their territory is marked, they will attempt to attract females for mating. The male will scare off any rival males by letting out a loud bellow or even charge them. Usually the weaker male will back off but sometimes two males will engage in a violent battle. In August and September, the female herds begin wandering through the male territories. Some will stop and mate with the males and others will wander on to the next territory. It is possible for one male to father 15 to 30 percent of all fawns for a given year in a nearby herd. Once they have mated, the gestation period (duration of pregnancy) is eight months. Twins are very common among pronghorns, but sometimes only one fawn in born. Fawns usually weigh between 7 and 8 1/2 pounds (three to four kilograms) at birth. The fawns develop quickly and soon walk and eat along side the mothers. They are usually weaned (no longer given milk by their mother) by the fifth month, sometimes sooner.
Pronghorns are fast runners. A two-day-old fawn can outrun a man and at four days can out sprint a horse. An adult pronghorn has been recorded at running 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour) for four minutes. Pronghorns use their good running abilities to escape predators. When a pronghorn notices danger, it edmits alarm odors from the scent glands in it's rump. This alerts the herd and gives them a chance to run to safety.
When European settlers first arrived, there were between 40 and 50 million pronghorns in North America. By 1920 the number of pronghorns had dropped to 13,000. People became concerned and began protecting the animal and limiting the number that hunters were allowed to kill. Today there are nearly 450,000 pronghorns and they are not in danger of becoming extinct.
Pronghorns have a life span of about 9 to 10 years in the wild and can live as long as 12 years in captivity.
Source: Encyclopedia of Animals
Pronghorns wander in herds on the open grassy areas and bushlands of the western United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico. Pronghorns are herbivores. They like to eat herbs, shrubs, grasses, and other plants. They sometimes eat cacti. Pronghorns wander up to 10 miles (16 kilometers) a day in search of food and water. During the winter months, they dig down through the snow and eat the grasses hidden underneath. When water is scarce, they get the moisture they need by eating cactus plants which hold a great deal of water.
Breeding season for the pronghorns begins in the spring, with mating season following in the fall. In the spring, the herds separate according to age and sex. The females stay in small herds and the males go to their breeding territories. Older males often use the same breeding territory every year. The males mark their territories with a scent produced from glands below their ears. Once their territory is marked, they will attempt to attract females for mating. The male will scare off any rival males by letting out a loud bellow or even charge them. Usually the weaker male will back off but sometimes two males will engage in a violent battle. In August and September, the female herds begin wandering through the male territories. Some will stop and mate with the males and others will wander on to the next territory. It is possible for one male to father 15 to 30 percent of all fawns for a given year in a nearby herd. Once they have mated, the gestation period (duration of pregnancy) is eight months. Twins are very common among pronghorns, but sometimes only one fawn in born. Fawns usually weigh between 7 and 8 1/2 pounds (three to four kilograms) at birth. The fawns develop quickly and soon walk and eat along side the mothers. They are usually weaned (no longer given milk by their mother) by the fifth month, sometimes sooner.
Pronghorns are fast runners. A two-day-old fawn can outrun a man and at four days can out sprint a horse. An adult pronghorn has been recorded at running 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour) for four minutes. Pronghorns use their good running abilities to escape predators. When a pronghorn notices danger, it edmits alarm odors from the scent glands in it's rump. This alerts the herd and gives them a chance to run to safety.
When European settlers first arrived, there were between 40 and 50 million pronghorns in North America. By 1920 the number of pronghorns had dropped to 13,000. People became concerned and began protecting the animal and limiting the number that hunters were allowed to kill. Today there are nearly 450,000 pronghorns and they are not in danger of becoming extinct.
Pronghorns have a life span of about 9 to 10 years in the wild and can live as long as 12 years in captivity.
Source: Encyclopedia of Animals
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