Pronghorns

History
Modern pronghorns inhabit the deserts and dry grasslands of western North America. They are medium-sized animals, measuring from 3-4.5 feet in length and weighing up to 100 pounds. Their body is stocky and they have long, thin legs. Their coat is pale brown with a whitish belly and rump, and they have distinctive black and white markings on their heads and necks. The horns are erect and consist of two branches or prongs, a short branch extending forward and located about halfway up the horn and a longer, backwardly directed tip.

Pronghorn antelopes are among the fastest long-distance runners, achieving bursts of speed up to 60 miles per hour, and they are able to maintain speeds in excess of 30 mph for distances of several miles. Pronghorns are found in small herds or bands during the summer, and in larger groups of up to 100 individuals in winter. Their herds have a well developed social hierarchy.