What is the scientific name of the pronghorn?
The scientific name of the pronghorn is Antilocapra americana. It stands alone as the only surviving member of the family Antilocapridae.
Questions about Pronghorn
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How fast can a pronghorn run and how far can it maintain that speed?
A pronghorn runs up to 55 miles per hour over short distances. It maintains speeds of 30 miles per hour for several miles to outlast predators like cougars and wolves.
Where does the pronghorn live today in North America?
The range extends from southern Saskatchewan and Alberta Canada south into Mexico. Healthy populations stay within 5 miles of water sources while some migrate through Craters of the Moon National Monument to the Continental Divide.
When did George Ord officially describe the pronghorn species?
George Ord officially described the pronghorn in 1815 as an American ornithologist. The species was not formally recorded until this expedition following observations by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during their journey from 1804 to 1806.
What happened to the pronghorn population by the 1920s and when did recovery begin?
Hunting pressure reduced the population to about 13,000 individuals by the 1920s. Franklin Roosevelt signed another order on the 31st of December 1936 creating a tract that marked true recovery beginnings.