Pronghorn

The pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in North America. They are often called antelope because of their resemblance to antelope in Africa but they are not in the same family.The pronghorn is the only surviving member of the Antilocapridae family. There were five different species in the Antilocapridae family when man came to North America but over time the four other species became extinct.

The pronghorn gets its name from the front facing point, or prong, in the middle of their horn. The horn has a core of bone that extends from the frontal bones of the skull. This bone is covered with a sheath of skin and keratinous fibers. Each year this sheath must be shed and then regrown. Pronghorn are found mainly in the grasslands in the western half of the Untied States and parts of Mexico. These were photographed in Yellowstone National Park.