A South Dakota Pronghorn

Royalty-free images by Mike¹ — No. 157 of over 1200 images

Custer State Park, South Dakota, August 22, 2007

Pronghorn – Antilocapra americana²

The pronghorn is a unique North American mammal. Its Latin name, Antilocapra americana, means “American goat-antelope,” but it is not a member of the goat or the antelope family and it is not related to the antelopes found in Africa. The pronghorn is the only surviving member of the Antilocapridae family and it has been in North America for over a million years.

The pronghorn is the fastest animal in the Western Hemisphere. It can run at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and it can run long distances at speeds of 30-40 miles per hour. It can make bounds of up to 20 feet when it is running. When the pronghorn runs, its mouth is open so it can breathe in extra oxygen. Speed is important because the pronghorn lives in open areas, and there is no place to hide from a predator. It has to be able to run away.

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Post Endnotes

1. 1. I am sharing some of my public domain images in periodic blog posts.
   2. “Pronghorn – Antilocapra Americana – Natureworks.” New Hampshire PBS. Accessed September 28, 2021. https://nhpbs.org…pronghorn….

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