Endangered Sonoran Pronghorn Numbers Recover
Severe Drought Nearly Cost Entire Arizona Population in 2002
May 14, 2007
The endangered Sonoran Pronghorn (Antilocapra Americana sonoriensis), often mistakenly called pronghorn antelope, is recovering in Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona after the local population dropped from 140 to about 21 animals.
Emergency efforts, including the creation of an electrically fenced area where shelter, water and forage are provided, have resulted in a strong recovery, with 18 fawns being born in the last 3 months. But the goat sized Sonoran pronghorn are still hampered in their quest for survival by their inability to jump fences and by increased border enforcement between Mexico and the US.
What is a Pronghorn?
Pronghorn are not antelope but rather their own distinct and ancient species, having been around for 20 million years. Antelope have antlers but the pronghorn does not. What appear to be antlers are actually horns. The confusion in classification arose because the Sonoran pronghorn sheds those horns. Normally one distinction between antlers and horns is that antlers are shed but horns are not.
The 2002 Arizona Drought and its Aftermath
The 2002 disaster was narrowly averted when rains came early in September. In 2003 efforts to save the Sonoran pronghorn in the Cabeza Prieta were stepped up. Water and food were hauled to various sites and the fenced enclosure established.
Today, the population is back over 100 and efforts within the Barry M Goldwater Range, an aviation testing and training range, to leave large areas undisturbed are helping recovery on land immediately adjacent to the refuge.
Military staff survey areas intended for training missions. If pronghorn are present, the activities are moved to another part of the 1.1 million acre range. All of these efforts are helping protect and increase Sonoran pronghorn numbers along the Mexican border.
Sonoran Pronghorn Habitat Loss
Outside the reserve more and more of the Sonoran desert is fenced. The pronghorn, despite the ability to run for long distances at 60mph, is hampered by being unable to jump high fences, unlike their antelope cousins. Don’t fence me in takes on a whole new meaning for this endangered species.
Illegal Aliens and the Pronghorn
Pressure at some popular border crossing sites has forced illegal aliens to travel through prime Sonoran pronghorn territory. Sadly, this is a very rough part of the desert and many of the illegals who take this route do not survive. But their presence has meant a constant Border Patrol presence within the Cabeza Prieta Refuge, and that restricts the movement of the Sonoran pronghorn within the reserve as the pronghorn avoid areas where there is constant human presence.
While border issues are unlikely to resolve in the near future, something is being done to try to mitigate the fencing problem. Antelope Gate Free Paradise is working to educate ranchers about the Sonoran pronghorn and to introduce pronghorn friendly fencing in areas outside Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife refuge. Providing more land for this free ranging species may help prevent another decline in Sonoran pronghorn populations.
 |
