Mammals · Artiodactyla · Antilocapridae

Pronghorn

Antilocapra americana

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is the fastest land mammal in North America and the second fastest in the world, able to hold speeds of up to 88 km/h.

Weight

40 kg – 59 kg

Size

1.3 m – 1.5 m

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertGrasslandHerbivore Diurnal In herds Desert Grassland Mammal

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Fun facts

It is the only animal with branched horns that it sheds every year.
Its numbers fell by 99%, from more than 35 million animals originally to a remnant by the early 20th century.
It eats grasses, shrubs and cactus according to the season.
locomociónIt is not a true antelope but the sole surviving member of an exclusively North American family, and it is the fastest land mammal in the Americas, able to hold high speeds over long distances.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Grassland, scrub and temperate desert of western North America
Birth weight: 2-4 kg at birth (most commonly ~3 kg)
Size at birth: 2-4 kg at birth
Sexual maturity: ~15-16 months
Gestation / incubation: 235-252 days (~8 months)
Litter / clutch size: 1 young at the first birth, twins thereafter
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 14 years

Sources consulted: SDZWA Fact Sheet (Physical Characteristics); SDZWA Fact Sheet (Summary); Animal Diversity Web; Animalia.bio; EWASH; Britannica; Texas Tech NSRL Mammals of Texas; EBSCO Research Starters; Destination4x4