Top 10 Incredible Pronghorn Facts
They Are Sometimes Confused With The Antelope: There are no other living members of the Antilocapridae family, and most scientists agree that all other horned ungulates (mammals with hooves) in North America belong to the Bovidae family.
Pronghorns Are The Fastest Land Mammal In America:Not only do pronghorns have the longest land migration in the United States, but they also set the record for the overall fastest land animal in North America.
They Can Outrun A Cheetah Long Distance:It’s often ranked as the second-fastest land animal, behind only the cheetah. But it can keep up its rapid speed for much longer than a cheetah.
Even Female Pronghorns Have Horns:True horns feature a single point rather than the several prongs or forks of antlers. However, the male pronghorn’s forward-pointing horns can grow to 10 inches in length (25 cm).
Pronghorns Are Mostly Very Social Animals:Pronghorns are herd animals that tend to travel in large groups. On the other hand, during the spring, bucks frequently venture out alone and in small groups.
They Were Almost Extinct At One Point: Due to restrictions on shooting and the preservation of suitable habitat, pronghorn numbers have increased to somewhere between 500,000 and 1,000,000.
Their Horns Are Very Unique:They are like horns and antlers put together. While actual antlers are composed of bone and shed annually, true horns are constructed of compacted keratin that develops from a bony core and never sheds.
They Mark Their Territory and Communicate Through Scent:Because of its diurnal and nocturnal nature, a pronghorn can be seen both day and night. The male travels as far as 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to spray his scent glands and mark his territory daily.
Pronghorn Offspring Are Mobile Shortly After Birth:Baby pronghorns might take their first fumbling steps as soon as 30 minutes after birth. They can already outpace humans at just four days old, and by the time they’re a week old, they can outrun horses!
Pronghorns Have Big Eyes and Great Eyesight:Pronghorns have long, black eyelashes that function as sun visors, and the pronghorn’s wide field of vision (320 degrees) makes it an excellent predator.