The pronghorn antelope has a reddish brown with a dark brown mane, white under parts, two white bands on its neck and a large white patch on its rump. Horns of the male have two prongs, while the female pronghorn has short spikes. Pronghorns only have two toes on each foot (no dewclaws).
When alarmed, the animal can make its hair stand straight out, producing a white flash. This hair standing ability is also used to adjust body temp. Furthermore, this North American native has hollow hair follicles, which also help insulate the animal.
Pronghorn antelope live alone or in small groups during summer months. Some bucks (males) join groups of females with offspring. There is never more than one adult male present in these groups. However, younger bucks tend to make things difficult for dominant males.
Antelope have exceptional eyesight, often compared to high-powered binoculars, and are one of the fastest of the animals, being able to run in excess of 60 miles-per-hour.
The breeding season of the pronghorn is from late August through early October. The most vigorous bucks gather small harems of two to 14 does. The master of the harem has an endless task in keeping his does together and warding off intruding bucks. The gestation period is between 7 and 7 1/2 months. The young (typically two) weigh from 2 to 4 kg each and appear in May or June. The female hides her young ones, and at first the fawns are active only a small part of the day. The female goes to them three or more times a day so they can nurse, When about a week old, they are able to walk and run well and begin nipping at vegetation.
The number of pronghorns left in the wild was less than 20,000 during the 1920s, but control of hunting and good wildlife management have brought the population close to 1 million.
