Pronghorn antelope complete one of North America's longest remaining wildlife migrations, facing barriers and welfare threats that require landscape-scale conservation solutions.
Pronghorn migrations are not optional journeys - they are biological imperatives driven by the need to access adequate forage across seasons. When barriers prevent migration, animals are forced to overwinter on depleted ranges, causing malnutrition and increased mortality. Pronghorn that encounter impassable fences during migration may injure themselves attempting to pass, become trapped in deteriorating habitat, or expend critical energy in failed attempts to find passage. Climate change is shifting the timing and availability of forage, adding complexity to an already barrier-fragmented landscape. Individual animals caught between barriers during severe winters face genuine starvation and suffering.