American Original

American Original. Pronghorn on the Plateau. , Return of Our Fastest Animal , Though its genus name, Antilocapra, means "antelope goat", the pronghorn is neither antelope nor goat. It is, instead, the sole surviving member of its genetic family, an American original. The fastest animal in the Western Hemisphere - clocked at 60 miles per hour - the pronghorn has few natural predators, though coyotes and golden eagles may prey on fawns. But by the late 1800s, hunting and overgrazing had reduced Utah's pronghorn population to an estimated 700 individuals., Reintroduced near Cannonville in the late 19060s, pronghorns soon migrated to the Paunsaugunt Plateau and have remained here ever since. The plateau's open meadows and ponderosa pine forests provide ideal pronghorn habitat. Winter winds sweep snow from the meadows, so pronghorns an continue to browse sagebrush, grasses, and other plants., Confounded by Fences , While pronghorns can cover more than 20 feet in a single bound, they rarely leap over obstacles like fences. Instead, they prefer to climb through fencing, where gaps between wire strands permit. woven wire or net-type fences inhibit migration and trap pronghorns along roadways, where they are at risk of being hit be vehicles. If you see a pronghorn while you're driving, approach slowly, so it can safely negotiate any fencing., Where to See Them , Winter is the best season to see large herds of pronghorns in the meadows along Highway 12. In late spring, females venture alone into the ponderosa pine forests to give birth, perhaps to protect their young from predators. in autumn, males defend their breeding harems, chasing ad sparring with other males., [Caption]: Rabbitbush (Ericameria bloomeri)