Protecting the Path of the Pronghorn: A 200-Mile Journey

Right now, hundreds of pronghorn are making their fall migration through Wyoming, traveling roughly 200 miles from their summer range near Grand Teton National Park to winter habitat in the Green River Valley. It’s one of the longest land migrations in the Lower 48, and the pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in North America, capable of running at speeds of about 55 miles per hour. But speed alone can’t guarantee a successful migration. 

A migration route is only as strong as its connections. These pronghorn must navigate highways, subdivisions, and other human-made obstacles. The journey also has several bottlenecks — places where development and the natural contours of the landscape narrow their route, making the journey especially difficult.

The map below shows the Path of the Pronghorn and where The Conservation Fund helped protect one of the critical bottlenecks from development. Because even a narrow stretch of land can be critical to keeping an entire migration route intact.