Pronghorn undertake one of North America's longest land migrations, facing increasing barriers from fencing and development that cause significant welfare costs and population fragmentation.
Pronghorn migration welfare is a landscape-scale issue where individual welfare costs accumulate across entire populations. When fences block migration routes during harsh weather events, pronghorn trapped in deep snow or without access to forage suffer starvation and exposure. The stress of blocked migration — attempting to pass through barriers that previous generations crossed unimpeded — represents a chronic welfare cost as development fragments formerly open landscapes. Wildlife-friendly fencing modifications that allow pronghorn passage under fences resolve most barrier conflicts at minimal cost. Coordinating fence modification across working ranches in migration corridors requires community engagement that has proven achievable in several regions.