Mammals

Kerry Brinkerhoff
Staff Writer

It is rare that a Pronghorn, commonly called an Antelope, makes an appearance at Golden Spike National Historic Site. This beautiful Pronghorn was found about 4 miles west of the Visitor Center near the comemorative 10 Mile Day Sign. These are the fastest animals in the Western Hemisphere and among the fastest in the world. The Pronghorn can make 20 foot bounds with a running speed of over 70 miles per hour and maintain a cruising speed of 30 mph for over 15 miles. It runs with its mouth open to gain extra oxygen. The Pronghorn living in wide open terrain depends on its excellent sight, which can see up to four miles, and its quickness to keep distance on its enemies. If the Pronghorn feels threatened or in danger it can enlarge its white rump hairs almost doubling the size of its white rump patch, becoming a signal to other Pronghorn that there is danger in the area. When Pronghorns, flee a buck usually becomes a rear guard. If the Pronghorns cannot flee they use their sharp hooves as weapons. They have been known to drive off coyotes. Pronghorns have no problem with weather. In winter the Pronghorn have hollow outer hairs which they can fill with air and flatten against their body to seal in warmth. In the summer they can ruffle up the hairs to provide cooling ventilation. When fawns are born they are odorless and the mother feeds away from the fawn so as not to attract attention. The mother returns often to feed the fawn and within one week the fawns can stay with the herd. The Pronghorns are the only animal that shed the outer part of their pronged horns (called sheaths made of keratin, the same substance in human fingernails) each year. Although earlier in the 20th century these animals were headed on the road to extinction, with careful management they were brought back to healthy number. They can be commonly found in the open sagebrush terrain of Northwestern Utah.

The Leader - Aug. 16, 2000