"Where the deer and the antelope play." Every time I think about "Home on the Range," that's the line that lingers in my mind, probably because we have so many antelope, or -- as they're more commonly called -- pronghorns, in Wyoming. One of the things that impressed me about Wyoming on my first trips here was that there seemed to be at least as many pronghorns as people. It's still true -- about half a million of each.
Now, for some pronghorn trivial.
- They're the fastest land animals in North America, reaching speeds of 60 mph.
- Although they can run for long distances, they're challenged by fences. I find it distressing to see pictures of them, caught up in barbed wire as they attempt their seasonal migration.
- Both male and female of the species have horns.
- While a herd is grazing, one pronghorn remains alert, serving as a sentinel.
That may be more than you wanted to know. From my view, perhaps their most important characteristic is that they're beautiful animals.
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