The Sonoran Pronghorn

I'm BACK from an overdue R & R vacation which required all gadgets to be gone, a book, some light birding, and some healthy hikes. And I feel much much better. This past week I was in the middle of nowhere-ville and surrounded by bears.  It was an amazing time.  I'll be back catching up with everyone again.  But back to this post! So I've waited a long time to find these amazing creatures and on our day of birding, it would happen.  It was truly one of the most exciting finds of the day.  The Sonoran Pronghorn.

Ranchers settled Arizona lands in the early 1900's and wiped out the Pronghorn from our grasslands as cattle took over and established themselves around this land.  Fences were placed all around these massive grassland properties and blocked many of the routes for these animals in Southern Arizona. Put up a border fence and it was even more difficult for the species to enter and leave the country. The Pronghorn and Jaguar almost completely disappeared. In 2002, drought and habitat loss reduced the pronghorn to only 21.  At that point, a captive breeding program began and US Fish and Wildlife intervened to prevent their extinction. 

The habitat of the Arizona Pronghorn Antelope are prairies and grasslands and are most abundant in the North Central plains of the state. Herds are often seen just north of Prescott Valley and those that travel on Interstate 17 can frequently see herds in the wild between Cordes Junction and the edges of Camp Verde, Arizona. They also inhabit the high elevation meadows between forested areas in East Central areas of Arizona. There is a sub-species of "Sonoran Pronghorn" that are on the endangered list that exist in small numbers in the desert areas of Southwestern Arizona. Antelope are grazing animals primarily feeding on grasses, weeds, cactus and small Juniper Pine.

Known as "prairie ghosts" because they are so elusive, the Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) is the fastest land mammal in North America. Smaller and lighter in color than other pronghorn subspecies, it is uniquely adapted for survival in harsh arid conditions.Kathie and I were tipped off by a ranger that the Pronghorn had crossed a dirt road.  We quickly drove to the spot reported and were lucky to glance these amazing creatures from a distance.

Approximately 100 Sonoran pronghorn remain in the wild in the United States. There is also a small population held in a captive breeding program on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in southwest Arizona. There are approximately 650 pronghorn in Mexico.

A slow recovery is happening around these areas but it is very slow. However today they are much more visible than they were 10 years ago.  You can find them near Portal, Sonoita, or the Buenos Aires Wildlife Preserve.  They also live in the state of Sonora, Mexico.  Meanwhile, most of the thousands of miles of fence have been taken down over the past ten years around the Buenos Aires Wildlife Preserve.  The grasslands are making a comeback and it appears that a balance may soon be achieved.  As that happens, species that once roamed these areas like the Ocelot and Jaguar have had more sightings now that things are getting "fixed".  More tomorrow from our adventures....