Pronghorn are the fastest land animal in the Western Hemisphere and uniquely adapted to open plains. Understanding their welfare needs informs both captive management and conservation programme design.
Pronghorn welfare challenges are primarily encountered at the interface between their wild lifestyle and human infrastructure. In truly wild settings, pronghorn welfare is relatively good where predator communities are intact and migration routes are unobstructed. The welfare crises arise when fences fragment migration routes causing starvation at barriers, when handling by researchers or conservationists is insufficiently cautious to prevent fatal stress myopathy, and when habitat quality is degraded by drought or overgrazing. Conservation programmes working with pronghorn must prioritise low-stress handling to the greatest possible degree, using techniques that minimise fear and physical restraint. Fence modification removing bottom wires allows pronghorn to pass while retaining cattle containment, and is one of the most cost-effective welfare and conservation interventions available.