photo courtesy of animalscamp.com
Dave Walsh, 27 Jan’16
They rely on their speed and durability. And there’s more of them, than us.
You talk about being made for one another, well, this Wyoming Wonder and its environment are perfect partners. This high plains marvel was almost lost a hundred years ago. Their population had been nearly hunted to extinction. At one time there were more than 40-million in number, down to under 20-thousand in the early 1900’s. But they have made a major comeback, and the herd has grown to nearly a million.
These are the original Wyoming natives, they have called this land home for a million years, and they have relied on certain attributes that make them so unique. They have an eye that is nearly as large as an elephant’s, two inches in diameter, that gives them a field of 20-20 vision of almost 360 degrees. They are very durable, they can tolerate temperatures up to 130 degrees, and down to a frigid 50 degrees below zero. They don’t require a great deal of water, and they can run like the Wyoming wind.
The Pronghorn Antelope is the fastest animal in North America, only the African Cheetah is faster on this planet. And here they are, an estimated 750,000 strong, and still hangin’ out in the Cowboy State.
The Pronghorn Antelope, a true Wyoming Wonder.