Antilocapra americana peninsularis
Less than 200 of the Peninsular Pronghorn survive in the wild. Among the world’s fastest land animals, pronghorn can up to 40-60mph, rivaling the speed of the cheetah clock at up to 70mph. Pronghorn have survived in North America since the Pleistocene age (10,000 to 1.8 million years ago) when they lived with American cheetahs and mammoths.
Fun Facts
- They can pick up movement from as far as three miles away.
- The white patch on their rump serves as a beacon so the herd can stick together when fleeing.
- They are most active at dawn and dusk as they browse and graze on a variety of plants.
- Of the five pronghorn subspecies, the peninsular pronghorn is at critical risk.
Classification
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Antilocapridae
Genus: Antilocapra
Species: americana
Habitat
The Baja California pronghorn was the last subspecies of pronghorn to be described, and is found on the Baja peninsula. They are found in open prairie and desert habitats in western North America.