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Pronghorn

Antilocapra americana

Mammal · family Antilocapridae · order Artiodactyla

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Pronghorn
Photo: www.naturespicsonline.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
16 states[3]
Longest recorded life
17 years[4]

The pronghorn is a hoofed mammal and the only member of its family, Antilocapridae[5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe lists it as native in 16 western and central US states[3].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the pronghorn as Secure, both worldwide (G5) and across the United States (N5)[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. It is on CITES Appendix I, which means international trade in it is tightly controlled[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
CITES (international trade)[8] Appendix I

Where Pronghorn lives

NatureServe lists the pronghorn as native in 16 states, including Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and the Dakotas[3]. It no longer lives, or may no longer live, in Iowa, Minnesota and Washington[9]. NatureServe also gives each state its own conservation rank, shown in the table on this page[10].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXWAIdaho: native, state rank S3IDMontana: native, state rank S5MTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRNDMinnesota: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: native, state rank S4ORNevada: native, state rank S5NVWyoming: native, state rank S5WYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5SDIowa: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: native, state rank S3CAUtah: native, state rank S4UTColorado: native, state rank S4CONebraska: native, state rank S4NEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: native, state rank S5AZNew Mexico: native, state rank S5NMKansas: native, state rank S3KSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: native, state rank S3OKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S3TXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (19 states)
StateRankMeaning
ArizonaS5Secure
CaliforniaS3Vulnerable
ColoradoS4Apparently Secure
IdahoS3Vulnerable
IowaSXPresumed Extirpated
KansasS3Vulnerable
MinnesotaSXPresumed Extirpated
MontanaS5Secure
NebraskaS4Apparently Secure
NevadaS5Secure
New MexicoS5Secure
North DakotaSNRNot Ranked
OklahomaS3Vulnerable
OregonS4Apparently Secure
South DakotaS5Secure
TexasS3Vulnerable
UtahS4Apparently Secure
WashingtonSXPresumed Extirpated
WyomingS5Secure

Habitat

Pronghorn live in open country: grassland, shrubland and desert[11]. NatureServe also describes sagebrush flats and the lower slopes of hills as places they use[12]. How much drinking water they need depends on how juicy the plants they eat are[12]. In one Wyoming study, mothers chose thick shrub cover for giving birth and hiding fawns, but skipped the very tallest and thickest patches[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

The pronghorn is a herbivore, which means it eats only plants[13][14]. In winter, northern pronghorn rely mostly on shrubs such as sagebrush, while in summer they eat more leafy flowering plants, along with grasses and in some places cactus[15]. Typical length is 145 cm (57 in)[16], and typical adult weight is 63 kg (139 lb)[17]. Females usually have twins[18], and pregnancy lasts about 235 days[19]. The young stop nursing by four months but stay with their mother through their first winter[18]. The longest recorded lifespan is 17 years in captivity[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[16] 145 cm (57 in)
Typical adult weight[17] 63 kg (139 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 17 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[20] 2
Gestation or incubation[19] 235 days
Female maturity[21] 547 days (about 1.5 years)
Food habits[13] Herbivore
Active[22] nocturnal, crepuscular, diurnal
Migration[23] local migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[14]

  • 100% other plant material

When to look for it

Pronghorn can be active by day and at dawn and dusk, which is called crepuscular[24]. They switch between eating and resting all day long, eat most steadily around sunrise and in the later part of the afternoon, and take longer rests after dark[25]. Some groups make seasonal moves, sometimes up to 160 km from where they spend the summer[26]. In the north they breed from mid-September to early October[18], and GBIF records from people peak in May, June and July[27].

January: 844 recordsJanFebruary: 490 recordsFebMarch: 1,018 recordsMarApril: 1,876 recordsAprMay: 2,730 recordsMayJune: 3,481 recordsJunJuly: 2,656 recordsJulAugust: 2,123 recordsAugSeptember: 2,315 recordsSepOctober: 1,070 recordsOctNovember: 608 recordsNovDecember: 505 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[27].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January844
February490
March1,018
April1,876
May2,730
June3,481
July2,656
August2,123
September2,315
October1,070
November608
December505

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Pronghorn as present in 40 park units[28]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 16 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Montana[29]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Safety around this animal

These tips are quoted in summary from official agencies. We add no advice of our own. Follow local rules and the agency pages linked below.

From National Park Service (Yellowstone)

  • In Yellowstone, the National Park Service asks visitors to stay at least 25 yards (23 m) from large animals such as bison and elk.
  • If the animal moves closer, back away. Approaching wildlife close enough to disturb or displace it is illegal in the park.
  • Never feed wildlife. Use binoculars or a long camera lens instead of moving closer.

Source: National Park Service (Yellowstone)[30]

Questions people ask

Is the pronghorn endangered?
No. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe ranks it as Secure (G5)[2].
Where do pronghorn live in the US?
NatureServe lists them as native in 16 states, such as Wyoming, Montana, Colorado and Texas[3]. They live in grassland, shrubland and desert[11].
What do pronghorn eat?
They eat only plants[13]. Northern pronghorn depend on sagebrush in winter and eat more leafy flowering plants in summer[15].
How big is a pronghorn?
Typical length is 145 cm (57 in)[16], and typical adult weight is 63 kg (139 lb)[17].
How long do pronghorn live?
The oldest known pronghorn lived 17 years in captivity[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Pronghorn is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Pronghorn: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Pronghorn as native in 16 US states and territories: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wyoming. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 17 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) is a mammal in the family Antilocapridae, order Artiodactyla. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix I (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe ranks Pronghorn as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Iowa, Minnesota, Washington. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Pronghorn (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Pronghorn: Shrubland/chaparral, Grassland/herbaceous, Desert. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Pronghorn. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Herbivore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 100% other plant material. EltonTraits 1.0
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Pronghorn. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 145 cm (57 in). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 63 kg (139 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Pronghorn. NatureServe Explorer
  19. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 235 days. AnAge
  20. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 2. AnAge
  21. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 547 days (about 1.5 years). AnAge
  22. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal, crepuscular, diurnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  23. NatureServe migration category for Pronghorn: local migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  24. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Circadian, Diurnal, Crepuscular. NatureServe Explorer
  25. NatureServe notes on phenology for Pronghorn. NatureServe Explorer
  26. NatureServe notes on migration for Pronghorn. NatureServe Explorer
  27. GBIF observation records of Pronghorn in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  28. NPSpecies park lists recording Pronghorn as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  29. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Pronghorn: Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Montana. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  30. Safety guidance from National Park Service (Yellowstone). National Park Service

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: www.naturespicsonline.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.