Pronghorn are the fastest land animal in the Western Hemisphere and undertake some of North America's longest remaining terrestrial migrations — but fencing, roads, and habitat fragmentation increasingly block these ancient routes, with serious welfare and conservation consequences.
Migration is a behavioural and physiological necessity for pronghorn — their fitness, body condition, and reproductive success depend on accessing high-quality summer forage and lower-elevation winter habitat in sequence. When fences block migration, animals pace along barriers, becoming exhausted, emaciated, and vulnerable to predation. Road crossings create acute fear responses and direct mortality. Where migration routes are preserved, pronghorn exhibit the full range of natural behaviours associated with good welfare. Conservation efforts that remove fencing barriers or install wildlife-friendly designs directly reduce suffering across entire populations — a high-impact, cost-effective intervention.